


Submersion

by The_Half_Blood_Guardian



Series: Submersion verse [1]
Category: Season Zero - Fandom, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Early manga, Gen, Horror, Hurt/Comfort, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Mutou Yuugi Deserves Happiness, Mutou Yuugi Needs a Hug, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Please Don't Kill Me, Shadow magic, Some blood and gore, Suspense, Yami Needs a Hug Too tbh, Yami Yuugi has pet Shadows, Yami Yuugi is pretty unhinged, Yami no Game | Shadow Game, Yami no that's not how the justice system works, Yu-Gi-Oh Season Zero, and doesn't realize Yuugi is terrified, artwork included, but he cares so much about Yuugi, he doesn't get happiness, more than a few people are gonna need therapy by the end of this, not for a long time at least, to the extreme
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2020-10-28 09:36:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 67,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20776427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Half_Blood_Guardian/pseuds/The_Half_Blood_Guardian
Summary: sub·merge: completely cover or obscureYuugi Mutou solves the Millennium Puzzle with the hope that it will grant him his wish for friends. Amazingly, it does. He's gained two new friends! But they're not all he's gained.By completing the puzzle he's unleashed a spirit of the shadows, and as he comes to realize, the price he must pay is horribly steep: the spirit has chosen Yuugi as its host.Darkness is descending on Domino City.-Or-The loss of identity and the sands of time force the Puzzle spirit into a near-animalistic mindset, a dark soul clings too tightly to the light, and no one reacts well to realizing they're possessed.





	1. The Beginning Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> (Cross-posted on FanFiction.Net)
> 
> I've had the idea for this story since late 2017, a few months after I found out about Yu-Gi-Oh. My first introduction was to the first series anime/"Season 0", produced by Toei Animation, and I admit I fell in love with it. I didn't start writing this until after I saw an absolutely marvelous AMV that kick-started my inspiration. Below is the link for that AMV, if you'd like to watch it:
> 
> [Thing [YuGiOh Season 0 AMV]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrQerUydryo)
> 
> Disclaimer: Any recognizable characters, ideas, etc. belong to someone else. I'm just playing with them.
> 
> [Submersion Cover 1](http://drive.google.com/file/d/1ugFEk7l_4-97CbRwURshWU-pQnLl50Re/view?usp=sharing)  
[Submersion Cover 2](http://drive.google.com/file/d/1garBN2xXC14m6liiKHeCViZvZGUKUKaK/view?usp=sharing)

The spirit had been alone for so very, very long; long enough that all memories of having ever lived another life had been lost to the never-ending flow of time. A cold, dark, empty, and overwhelmingly _ lonely _stretch of years, spanning not only centuries but millennia.

In all that time, there had been next to nothing to disrupt the maddening stillness and silence. In fact, the spirit had all but forgotten that a world even existed outside of its labyrinthine prison: a shadowy dimension contained within the pieces of a seemingly unsolvable puzzle, sealed inside a small golden box and hidden behind a stone wall in an underground tomb in the middle of the desolate, lifeless deserts of Egypt.

Its only company were the Shadows that infested its prison. They used to torment it, the spirit recalled, back before it had figured out how to communicate with them. And even after it had, they still fought against it, refusing to be tamed or controlled in any way. Eventually, though, as the spirit had grown stronger and stronger, their stubborn refusal had been swallowed up in its power, and they'd had no choice but to submit to its will. Throughout another undetermined stretch of time, they came to accept and even relish in their servitude, such as it was. There wasn't much for them to do, after all, even if the spirit had sent them off to complete every tiny, pointless task it could come up with.

Restless and discontent with the lack of activity and stimuli, the Shadows had eventually settled into a sort of hibernation, and continued to remain in that state of dormancy unless their master forcefully called upon them. It had been a long time since the spirit had managed to summon the will and energy to do so, and the longer it went without even the meager companionship they provided, the closer it felt itself slipping towards something it thought was called "insanity." Or maybe it had already reached that point and simply hadn't realized it. The spirit wasn't sure what the exact definition of "insanity" was, but it got the feeling that it wasn't anything good.

Though the spirit didn't know it, three thousand years had passed since it had been sealed away. But it didn't need to know the exact number of years to know that after such a long time, the chances of its puzzle ever being found and solved were slim to none.

So when it felt the first tiny vibration shake its box, it was surprised at the sensation but passed it off as a small tremor of the earth, since those had been the only things besides the Shadows that it could remember ever interrupting the eternal monotony. The idea that it could have been anything else did not cross its mind.

But it started to question its previous assumption when the tremors continued, travelling in waves through the stone pedestal and up into the golden box that rested upon it, coming at uneven intervals and getting stronger every time there was another wave. The spirit's Shadows, which had been dormant as usual, began to stir as well, and they quickly became more alert the longer the racket persisted.

Then something broke through the wall concealing the space where its box was hidden. Though the spirit couldn't truly see or hear what was going on in its surroundings, another of its senses (one that was unnamed as of yet) vaguely identified the thing as part of a thin, sharp object.  
  
_ A tool, _ whispered an obscure corner of its mind.

The spirit wasn't sure how it knew this, but it didn't particularly care right now because something was _ happening_, something was interrupting the endless monotony and it felt too _ excited _ to be thinking about such a silly thing as how it had come to know a certain word.

Then the tip of the "tool" was pulled from the hole it had made in the wall, and the spirit, who had been without external stimuli for three millennia, was bombarded by several sensations. A flood of foreign emotions and desires and ambitions came rushing in from the beings that had apparently been on the other side of the wall.

Selfishness, the greedy desire for power and money, and sly plans of betrayal for the purpose of increasing personal gain crashed over it, and it could feel something _ burning _ its artifacts, but there were no flames, only a stream of _ something _ and the spirit thought it might be called "light" and it would've been wondering how it knew this as well if all these sensations weren't being forced into it, if everything wasn't _ hurting _ it.

The tool was thrust into one of the cracks in the weakened wall and the small hole became a gaping crevice. Every feeling was amplified, and the spirit wished it had a corporeal body to release its silent screams at the intensified agony. All of the elation it had first felt at finally, _ finally _ having something to preoccupy itself with had long since vanished, and it could vaguely sense its Shadows reacting as well, writhing in pain and squealing soundlessly.

Then one of the beings reached out and touched its box, and the spirit used the Shadows to lash out, knowing nothing but the need to get _ rid _of that filthy, greedy human's touch and the whirlwind of evil thoughts and pain.

It didn't let up until it could no longer sense the presence of the beings that had invaded its domain with their greedy hearts. The "light" was still falling over the spirit's box, but it didn't hurt as much as before and unlike the other beings' thoughts, it was slowly becoming more and more tolerable for it.

Just when the spirit had finally gotten used to it, the light started to wane, until it was nearly as dark as it had always been. The spirit found itself feeling bereft.

_ Night_, whispered the same strange voice in its head that had given it the names for "light" and "tool" and "betrayal" and "greed."

Luckily, not much later (or at least, not much later from the spirit's perspective) the light returned, the darkness fading out the same way it had faded in. _ Day,_ the voice whispered this time.

_ So,_ the spirit thought to itself, _ when my surroundings are dark, it is night, and when my surroundings are light, it is day? Has it always been night before this? Has day only recently come into existence? _ Somehow, it didn't think that was the case.

Before the spirit could ponder any more on this subject, it suddenly sensed more of the same type of beings that had come for it the previous day. _ Humans_, the voice called them, and the spirit realized angrily that these "humans" were the ones bringing the light with them.

Shadows hissed their disapproval, remembering the pain that they and their master had felt because of the last humans to enter. The fact that their arrival had brought with it light and sorely needed change did not matter; it had caused them pain. It had caused their _ master _ pain, too, and _ that _was an offence that was simply unpardonable!

The spirit was only too willing to allow its Shadows to do as they pleased with the new humans.

They gathered in the corners of the room and began to reach for their prey. All at once, the same feeling of _ apprehension _ flared from each of the new humans, as well as varying levels of _ fear_. Then one of them spotted the spirit's golden box. The _ apprehension _ and _ fear _ of this human were suddenly squashed down to a mere shade of what they had been, and in their place there arose an ugly wall of all too familiar _ greed_.

This time, instead of being crippling, the feeling merely gave an irritating prick. But that small prick managed to enrage the spirit and its Shadows more than crippling pain ever had, and together they let out identical silent snarls.

Oblivious to this, the human barked something at the others, and soon their _ fear _ was diminished as well. The spirit's _ rage _ grew stronger with each new feeling of _ greed _that emerged from the group.

The other humans paused for only a short time at the threshold of the room before following their apparent leader.

These intruders made it less than half as far as those from the last batch had before they too were engulfed in a furious swarm of living darkness.

* * *

This pattern repeated itself a few more times – a group of humans entered, the _ greed _ inside their hearts ignited the _ anger _ of the spirit and Shadows, and the humans were destroyed because of it. After each of these times, the spirit felt its Shadows becoming weaker.

Eventually, their growing weakness allowed one of the humans to escape relatively unharmed – with the spirit's box in hand. Were it not for their drained energy, the Shadows would never have paused long enough to realize that underneath the _ fear _that was so prevalent, this human was feeling a sense of adventure, rather than the pure gluttony all the others had felt. Curious about this seemingly new type of human, the spirit and Shadows ceased their aggressive actions and allowed themselves to be taken from their dark chamber.

As the human took the box farther and farther from its original resting place, the spirit noticed that the light it had gotten used to was starting to get brighter. Nervous about the new intensity of the light they had only recently begun venturing into and severely weakened by their many attacks on intruders, the Shadows faded out of physical existence and reappeared in the safety of the spirit's labyrinth dimension.

Then they turned one last corner, and a vast expanse of unending _ openness _stretched wide before them.

_ The sky, _ the voice told an amazed spirit, just before the human stepped fully out of the stone passageway. The light that had been getting stronger suddenly became _ dazzling _ in its brilliance. _ Something _up there in the "sky" was creating that light, and the spirit was overcome with awe at the sheer radiance being emitted by whatever that something was.

_ The sun, _ said the voice. At the same time, it gave an overlapping whisper of _ Ra. _

Both filled the spirit with a sense of wonder, the second more so than the first, to the point that the word almost caused it to shy away. Uncomfortable with the feeling of submissiveness, the spirit decided to use the first word, "sun," to refer in its mind to the sky's maker of light.

Once the human had taken the box out of the full light of the blinding orb called the "sun," the spirit was able to think more clearly again. Which meant that it realized that the sense of adventure it had felt from the human when they were in the tomb had faded a fair amount, and just as the spirit had come to expect, the feeling of _ greed _had grown up in its place.

_ Why can this human not be different from the others? _ It thought.

For a split second, a feeling rose inside the spirit; one that a human had never caused it to feel before: "disappointment."

Then _ rage,_ accompanied by _ indignation, _flooded in again, the strongest it had ever felt.

Despite the Shadows' current weakness, they reached out to tear at the human who had upset their master. Their lack of power made them incapable of solidifying even halfway, though, and rather than wrapping around flesh, their dark tendrils grabbed something else. Something inside the human was also intangible, and when they gripped it, they and the spirit could sense the thoughts and intentions of the human on a much deeper level than they'd been able to even through physical touch. The Shadows squeezed the intangible thing a bit tighter. A little trickle of their former power returned to them.

The human had gone completely still, eyes wide and body beginning to shiver. If it had known how, the spirit would have cackled at the reaction. It didn't know how, so it simply gave the Shadows an order it only half understood, _ excited _ for reasons it understood even less. And although the Shadows were similarly uncertain about what was about to happen, they too felt _ excited_.

_ A soul, _ the voice in the spirit's mind named the intangible thing as the Shadows began dragging it from the human's body, tearing into it. The human dropped to the ground, shrieking and seizing. Energy leaked from the rips in the "soul," and the Shadows latched onto it, hungrily lapping up every drop and slashing at it to further widen the lacerations. Bit by bit, they regained their former strength.

_ A soul, _ the spirit repeated dazedly to itself, shuddering at the ambrosial backlash it felt through its link to the starving Shadows as they continued to feast.

The human went from screaming and writhing to twitching and whimpering, before finally falling completely silent and still. The soul was gone, having been fully consumed by the Shadows. They lazily exited the human, returning to their master. The spirit welcomed them back, feeling something that the voice called "lethargy," as well as the deep-seated senses of _ satisfaction _ and _ contentedness _that were better than anything else it had ever experienced.

* * *

Now that the puzzle box had been brought out of the underground chamber and to the surface, a place where multitudes of humans roamed, many of those humans had begun to spot the spirit's artifact, and each immediately became interested. This wouldn't have been a problem if that interest had been contained to simple curiosity, but it was not. Their interest was polluted with the voracious desire to take the spirit's golden box and keep it for themselves. Whenever someone managed to do so, it never stayed in their possession for very long. The spirit had little tolerance for such annoyances.

The hearts of so many of the individuals that came near the box were saturated with _ greed _ and _ selfishness_, and each time it felt one of them trying to handle its box the spirit fended them off just as it had with the first humans to find it – albeit much less violently a great deal of the time, as it had since become acclimatized to sensing their hearts and had realized that none of them knew the spirit existed, and therefore were not actually intent on hurting it.

Sometimes though, when the spirit was feeling especially fed up with being passed around from one wealthy, self-centered human to another, it slipped up when it was teaching them a lesson and accidentally gave the Shadows more freedom than it normally would have to terrorize whatever unlucky individual was being punished. Those individuals generally ended up in a broken, psychotic state, some of them silent and unresponsive as they just sat and rocked from side to side, while others were jumpy, skittish, and prone to bouts of thrashing and screaming as they were tormented by horrors that only existed within their own heads.

The spirit couldn't technically see or hear the humans, having no eyes, no ears, and no body, but it still had a good idea of what had happened to them. Sometimes a slight itch in its thoughts made itself known, and if the spirit had bothered to give the itch more than a passing thought, it might have realized the feeling was actually a faint, vague sense of regret for the fact that its Shadows always played too roughly with the humans' fragile minds.

But even more unfortunate than those individuals were the ones who angered the spirit during the times when it and its servants were beginning to grow weak. At these times, the spirit purposely released the Shadows, allowing them to devour the soul of whatever greedy human was unfortunate enough to have been causing the spirit's agitation at the time.

Ever since having its strength restored by that first soul, the spirit had realized that if it didn't wish to waste away, it was essential for it and its Shadows to consume souls on occasion to replenish the energy they expended while penalizing guilty humans.

It didn't take all that long for the spirit to get used to its dependence on the energy it drained from human souls for sustenance. At least, not all that long by the spirit's reckoning. Two years, five years, ten years, twenty years; it didn't make much difference to the spirit, who had existed for far, far longer than any human.

Still, for being such a small fraction of its existence, the time after the spirit's puzzle was found seemed to take up a strangely large part of its memory, so much so that it could sometimes scarcely believe there had ever been a time when it _ hadn't _ weighed the hearts of the wicked. Perhaps this was because nothing had ever really _ happened _ in all the time beforehand.

_ Yes, that is probably the reason, _ the spirit thought.

* * *

More years passed, and eventually the small golden case and the puzzle within made their way into the possession of one who the spirit could sense was of an age that was old by human standards. The essence of the human felt male.

The old man, like all the other humans who had come across the spirit's artifacts, was very interested in them. However, this interest was different from that of the rest; rather than being centered around _ greed _and thoughts of profit, the old human's interest was innocuous in nature. It was also mixed with caution and respect, and the spirit could feel the honesty and goodness in the man's heart. It could sense a light inside the man as well, weary with age but still burning strong.

The spirit found it odd that, as a being of darkness it instinctively and intellectually knew itself to be, it was not repulsed by the light. In fact, it seemed that the exact opposite was true; the spirit was strangely drawn to it. It realized that its Shadows were being similarly drawn in when a few of them tentatively but curiously reached towards the soft glow of the man's soul, ready to either attack or retreat back to their master's side at a moment's notice should the light cause them any harm.

The spirit watched them carefully as they drew closer and closer, just as cautious as they were. The Shadows hesitated briefly when they were almost touching the edge of the light before slowly resuming their movement and closing the small gap.

The very tip of one tendril of darkness faintly brushed a tiny section of the light. The spirit was baffled when, rather than recoiling violently upon coming in contact with the light, the Shadows instead became a bit more adventurous. More of them approached the light when it became clear that it was safe, and soon there was a multitude of dark tendrils reaching out to touch it. The light started to pulse a bit more brightly in response to the harmless touches, seeming just as comfortable with the Shadows as they were with it.

But that wasn't the only surprise. Energy, the kind that the spirit and Shadows could normally only get by shredding and draining a soul, slowly seeped into the dark tendrils, strengthening the Shadows, and therefore strengthening their master as well.

Startled at suddenly feeling a sensation so similar to what it felt while feeding, the spirit was at first worried that its servants were harming the light, but soon realized that somehow, despite them receiving nourishment from it, the man's soul wasn't being drained at all. In fact, its glow looked a little "healthier" than it had already been.

The spirit felt no discomfort through its connection with the Shadows, only safety, warmth, and… something else… Satisfaction, perhaps? No, not quite, though that was definitely part of what it was feeling, as it was currently being fed soul energy. But the word didn't fit the one it was searching for to describe one of the most prominent emotions it was experiencing. Then it came to the spirit. Could the feeling have been… "happiness?" Could this be what genuine happiness felt like?

The voice had mentioned the word before, but the spirit had never been able to completely grasp the concept. Now, though, it thought that maybe it was starting to understand. It couldn't remember any other time when the gnawing loneliness inside it had receded so much.

The Shadow that had touched the light first now curled a tendril gently around it to take in more of the new but pleasant sensation that the human's soul was giving off. The master of the Shadows soon followed the example of its subordinates, for once allowing them to lead, and several thin, barely-there appendages parted to make way for a larger, slightly more solid one. The spirit rested a dark, wispy hand against the light and nearly shivered in delight. The feeling was so much more potent now than when the spirit had simply been experiencing the sensations second hand through its link with the Shadows. The light gave an especially bright pulse before settling back into its normal level of luminescence.

Something strange happened then. The spirit's lips stretched upward seemingly of their own volition. Then a raspy noise rose from within its chest and was released in short, forceful bursts, almost like a "cough." The sound that it was suddenly making was out of its control. But oddly enough, neither of the involuntary actions alarmed the spirit. Rather, they produced an even stronger feeling of "happiness" inside of it. 

The spirit felt the upturn of its lips and identified it.

_ This is a smile. I am smiling._

It turned its focus to the more noticeable of the two actions and identified it as well.

_ This is a laugh. I am laughing._

_ I am laughing and smiling. Doing this feels… good. I feel warmth, and safety, and "happiness." These feelings are also pleasant. I feel this when I am around the old man. _

The spirit came to a decision. It decided that it liked being around the old man and his warm, bright soul.

* * *

Sugoroku Mutou stared at the golden case, wide eyes drinking in every detail. On the side facing him, a depiction of the Eye of Horus stared back, and the man almost flinched.

As soon as his mind had connected the bits of memory that held the answer to what was so significant about an Egyptian style gold puzzle in a gold box, he had quickly placed the lid back on and backed away. The single-eyed gaze hadn't seemed accusatory, however, and that was the only reason he hadn't been running since the moment he'd realized what exactly had been left sitting at his doorstep. 

Of all the places the apparently not-so-mythical Millennium Puzzle could have ended up…

During his time spent in Egypt when he was a younger man, he'd heard plenty of stories about the Millennium Puzzle; definitely enough to learn about its reputation and develop a healthy dose of caution. Those same stories, however, were what now fed his curiosity about the mysterious item, and despite the risks, he couldn't bring himself to look away from it.

Bold yet laboriously precise lines were etched into the gold and intermingled with slim, delicate ones, working together with them to frame the intricate hieroglyphs that wrapped around the outside edges of the case, all of it centered around that one graven eye. The warm light that filled the shop glittered off the gold surface, giving the item an almost dulcifying allure.

The man knew that unlike many other metals, gold doesn't fall prey to rust or the like, but the original splendor still should have diminished somewhat after so much time. At the very least, the artifact should have been littered with the small dents and scratches that come to all delicate items that are smuggled illegally. The golden box, and each piece of the puzzle within it, deliberately ignored their age and whatever rough treatment they may have endured after being unearthed.

Under any other circumstances, Sugoroku would have called the items modern knockoffs (albeit very finely crafted and aesthetically pleasing ones). And yet… there was something that stopped him from dismissing them. An indefinable, underlying sense that kept telling him he was missing something.

He tried to focus that sense and pinpoint what was causing the feeling, but the ethereal glow of warm light that shimmered across the case's glossy finish suddenly seemed so much more interesting than it had a moment ago. One minute passed, then two, seemingly in the blink of an eye as his mind slipped into a patchwork of quickly fading snippets of thought, and he felt the beginnings of a cool tingling sensation, a bit odd but not unpleasant, start to spread through his chest.

The feeling suddenly crescendoed, startling him slightly. He gave his head a small shake as he slowly pulled his thoughts together.

Looking at the case again and replaying what just happened, he knew he should have felt frightened, but the closest he could manage was slight uneasiness. He also should've dropped the Millennium Puzzle off somewhere far away from his home and never thought about it again. But then someone else would just find it, someone who hadn't heard the stories and didn't know the danger. Sugoroku could not, in good conscience, leave the artifact behind, knowing it would more than likely ruin another person's life. He'd have to keep it.

He couldn't leave it out in the open where it might do… whatever it was that it had just done to him. But he wasn't sure he'd be able to resist the urge to take it from wherever he decided to hide it. Somehow he knew that the longer he went without seeing the Puzzle, the more he would start to crave the sight of it.

_ It will have to be someplace where I can see it often, but I can't easily reach it, _ he mused, then thought on it for a while.

Finally, with the utmost care, Sugoroku lifted the box from the counter and brought it into the storage room. He climbed the little stepladder until he could reach the top shelf, and set the puzzle box down. Another reflection of light off of the shiny surface caught his eye. He stole another long glance.

Then he took a deep breath, drew out a larger-than-average scoop of stubbornness from his inner well of perseverance, and made himself leave the closet. He folded up the stepladder for good measure before closing and locking the door behind him, trying to convince himself that there were much better things he could be doing than staring at a hunk of gold.

_ No matter how fascinating that hunk of gold may be? _ A traitorous part of his mind questioned him. He resolutely ignored it.

* * *

Once the old man had it in his possession, the spirit's box was rarely moved. It was mostly kept in one place and almost never touched. The spirit didn't particularly like the accommodations, as the space its box resided in was quite dark.

However, it was tolerable, since the man generally stayed close enough for the spirit to reach out to his light soul, and on most days, he opened the door to the "closet" it was in to retrieve a box – not the spirit's box, unfortunately, but one that was usually made of "cardboard." He always took the box out of the closet and to his "shop," where he "sold" the contents to the "customers" (random other humans that came and went from his shop).

(The spirit had come to know quite a few words during its stay with the man, often picking up on his surface thoughts when its shadowy heart touched his light one. Such as the word "name," and the name belonging to the old man: Sugoroku.)

* * *

On one of the days when the customers weren't there – a "weekend" – the spirit was surprised when three people showed up at Sugoroku's shop anyway, and even more surprised when the man happily let them in. Any other time someone had wanted to enter the shop on a weekend, Sugoroku had politely sent them on their way, assuring them that he was always open on weekdays.

This was not a weekday, yet the man was letting the three apparent strangers in, and not just past the front door, but up the stairs to what the spirit knew was his private living space. Confused and more than a little suspicious, the spirit reached out with its mind and ran mental fingers over the heart and mind of each of the newcomers.

The first one was a man, like Sugoroku, though he felt younger. There were several minor worries on his mind, but they had been mostly tucked away for the moment. He seemed genuinely happy to see the older man, and the spirit could sense that he had no ill intentions towards Sugoroku. In fact, even though it was a bit dimmer and definitely not as prominent, the spirit could sense a light in this new man's soul that reminded it of the light in Sugoroku's own soul. Satisfied, it moved on to the next human.

This one was a woman, and felt about the same age as the man. She and the man felt similar in many other ways, as well. Like the man, she had several worries on her mind, which she had temporarily pushed down. She was also pleased to see Sugoroku, wished him no harm, and harbored her own little light in her soul. Sugoroku was obviously not in any danger from her. The spirit turned its attention to the last member of the still largely unfamiliar group.

As soon as it brushed against the mind of the third human, it was hit by a wave of hyperactive enthusiasm and affection. For a moment it floundered in its own mind, trying to process the information being thrown at it, and the only thing that prevented it from attacking the foreign mind out of shock was the impression that immediately followed the enthusiasm. And that was _ light_. Pure, magnificent, and utterly addicting light.

The soul of the young boy (the information on age and gender had somehow managed to reach the spirit even past the nearly overwhelming torrent of other information) was so pure, so white, so _ light_, that the spirit could scarcely believe he was human at all. Surely a being of such innocence and purity could not have been a member of the same species as those wealth-seeking individuals who had once surrounded the spirit with their filthy presence. 

When it had first felt Sugoroku's light, it had been difficult enough to believe that he and those individuals were all the same species. Believing that the _ boy _ was the same species as the greedy scum was a task that fell just short of impossible for the spirit.

And even when it finally did accept that the boy was human, it still couldn't help but think of him as being something more as well. To the spirit, the child didn't just have a light heart; he seemed to be the human embodiment of light. It was as if he wasn't just a light soul, but was one with light itself. As if he was _ The Light_. The only human Light in the world.

It took a while for its _ shock _ and _ wonder _to settle down enough that the spirit could focus on anything other than how brilliantly the boy's presence shone. It was at that point it noticed something was wrong. The brilliance and warmth of his heart and soul were so distracting that they had been shrouding the abnormality from the spirit until this time. The child was ill. In his excitement at seeing Sugoroku, it seemed that the boy himself had forgotten for the moment that he was sick.

Suddenly, the spirit felt something else touch the boy's light, and a tiny section of his light flickered and dimmed for a few moments before very slowly regaining its former brightness. The spirit barely noticed the feelings of _ surprise _ and deep _ worry _that came from the other three humans, too focused on trying to identify what horrid thing had so negatively affected the boy's light. It realized almost immediately that the intruder in his soul was not sentient, and soon discovered that the culprit was the child's own illness.

Inside the spirit's metaphysical chest there rose a feeling that, until now, had only ever surfaced when there was a nearby danger to itself or, in more recent years, a threat to Sugoroku. Only this time, the strength with which the feeling surged forward resulted in a sensation that came so close to overwhelming the spirit that it bordered on pain.

It _ needed _to protect this boy! But how would it go about doing so? No one was attacking him, so it had no one to fight off. The spirit paced around a high-ceilinged room in its prison, agitated. Its Shadows picked up on the feeling and mirrored it, and the spirit made itself stop. The Shadows soon followed suit.

This did nothing to soothe its agitation.

The three adults had taken the boy and set him on a "couch," and the woman pulled an unfamiliar object from her bag while the younger of the two men swiftly headed down the stairs to the shop where the "phone" was located. Sugoroku bent down and held the boy's hand reassuringly. The spirit wasn't sure exactly what the woman did with the object she had taken from her bag, other than that she gave something from it to the boy.

After several seconds, the spirit felt the boy's light brightening, and the child seemed to be doing better. The woman called down to the man, telling him of the boy's improved condition. The man uttered a brief apology to whoever he had called before hanging up the phone and dashing back up the stairs.

Eventually, after lunch and conversation (while the adults kept an inconspicuous eye on the child), the man, the woman, and the boy of Light left, Sugoroku having promised to teach the boy how to build a beginners domino spiral the next time they visited. In the silence that followed their departure, Sugoroku went about cleaning his shop with a content and relieved expression on his face, though there was an undertone of niggling worry that seeped into his aura. The spirit found that it felt the same way, and waited both eagerly and anxiously for the next visit from the group of three.

* * *

  
Almost four weeks later, a phone call came in. This in itself wasn't all that uncommon, but Sugoroku's reaction to it definitely was. He slowly hung up when the call finished, then quietly helped the one customer in the store pay for his things. Once the customer had left, Sugoroku walked to the front of the shop, flipped the sign from "OPEN" to "CLOSED" and headed up the stairs to the building's living quarters. There he waited in silence on the couch until a knock came at the door.

At first, the spirit almost didn't recognize the one who knocked as the woman from the family group. She was so filled with unpleasant emotions that her light was almost obscured by them.

It did, however, recognize the boy of Light. Its excitement at his arrival was unfortunately dampened by the somber mood of the adults though, and the spirit realized for the first time that there was something off about the group waiting at the door: instead of three people, there were only two. For some reason, the man wasn't there.

* * *

Sugoroku opened the door and Akako led her son by the hand into the shop. As soon as the door was closed behind them, she crouched down so she could look the little boy in the eye.

"Yuugi? Jii-chan is going to be looking after you for awhile. You be a good boy while I'm gone, okay?" The child nodded, and Akako cupped his cheek tenderly. "I'll come pick you up in a few hours, sweety. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun."

She then turned to Sugoroku. The man spread his arms a little in invitation before wrapping her in a hug. She leaned into it, gripping fistfuls of his shirt and taking a deep, shaking breath.

"Mama?"

Both adults turned to look at Yuugi, who stared back with a worried expression. "What's wrong, Mama?"

Akako froze. She was about to give him an excuse, something to reassure him that everything was fine, but one look in his eyes stopped the words from coming out. No matter what cover-up she offered, he'd be able to see right through it. Her son had always been very perceptive when it came to others' feelings, and while it was an admirable and uncommon trait even for someone twice his age, it was working against her in this case. She took a deep breath to center herself.

"Your father… he's… been in an accident, Yuugi…" she began, hoping all the while that what she was saying didn't make her a terrible mother. 

* * *

Not many days after the first time the woman dropped the little boy off at Sugoroku's house-shop, she and the boy – who was named Yuugi, as the spirit had discovered – returned with armfuls of boxes and bags. The spirit learned that "moving in" was the term for what they were doing.

As the woman and the boy continued bringing in their belongings, Sugoroku's home started getting cramped, and the old man had to move some of his own possessions into storage. It was because of this that the boy finally came across the spirit's artifacts.

* * *

_ **To be continued…** _

  
  
  
  



	2. The Beginning Part 2

The door to the storage closet creaked open, and the feeling of a human soul entering its abode roused the spirit from the restful state it was in. Expecting the human to be Sugoroku, it was taken aback when it realized that the soul it sensed was not the soul of the old man, but that of the Light boy! Never before had the child been so close to it. Excitement raced through its immaterial chest, and it was unable to stop a bit of its power from escaping and trying to reach out for the little one's light.

Maybe it was the extra gleam that briefly illuminated the puzzle's box which drew the child's attention, or maybe it was the feeling of foreign power that came from it (though the former was more likely), but either way, the boy looked up towards the seemingly ordinary top shelf in interest. Setting down the box in his arms, Yuugi glanced around until he spotted the footstool Sugoroku used to reach the higher shelves.

After setting it up, the boy was met with a dilemma: he was still quite a bit shorter than his grandfather, and no matter how far he stretched, he couldn't even touch the top shelf, let alone take something sitting on top of it.

Yuugi bit his lip. Normally he heeded the warnings he was given against doing dangerous things, but for some reason he couldn't resist the urge to reach whatever it was he had seen glinting at him from the top shelf. Carefully, he stepped off the footstool and onto the closest higher shelf. He waited a few seconds, but nothing happened, and he released a shaky, relieved breath and looked for something he could use to climb higher.

When he was inches away from reaching his goal, the shelf wobbled and tilted, and the boy lost his grip, thankfully landing on his feet before stumbling back and falling on his bottom. A few smaller cases slid off, the spirit's box among them, but for once it couldn't care less about what happened to its artifacts, as long as it could get closer to the boy with the most amazingly bright soul it had ever felt.

Then the spirit felt _ terror _ from the boy, and realized that the shelf was still tipping forward. It knew from experience that humans were fragile creatures, and this one was particularly delicate and tiny. If the shelf were to fall on the boy, he would be–!

** _NO!_ ** The spirit roared, and despite their long period of inactivity, its Shadows immediately responded. Thankfully the shelf had only just started its descent, and so was relatively easy to push back upright.

In the dark, the child didn't see the Shadows. He was too relieved, though, to wonder exactly _ why _ he wasn't a smear on the floor. His fingers clutched the golden box tightly, and with the panic now gone from its mind, the spirit realized for the first time that it was in the child's hands. Or rather, that its puzzle box was in his hands. Any thoughts of such insignificant technicalities were chased away before they could properly form, though, as the little boy's warm, wonderful, and delightfully pure light overwhelmed its senses.

The Light shining in the center of the little one's heart was so brilliant that it reached every corner, and pulsed happily before the spirit or its Shadows even got close. Not even the encounter with Sugoroku's light could have prepared it for the sheer amount of energy that this soul provided it with. Through their link, the spirit could hear its Shadows croon, and its own chest rumbled with a sound of contentment. 

Although the human was unaware of anything that was truly going on, he stared at the gold case in his hands with such intensity that the spirit knew he must have at least subconsciously felt the effects to some degree. Carefully, he lifted the lid.

* * *

Several minutes later, Sugoroku noticed his grandson was still absent and went to investigate. He found the door to the storage closet wide open, but heard nothing that would indicate Yuugi was in there. Then a faint _ clink _ came from within the room. He closed the short distance between himself and the open doorway and, peering into the dimly lit space, spotted a head of wild hair near the back shelf.

Wide lilac eyes stared transfixed down at his hands, and Sugoroku noted with alarm the too-bright gleam of a familiar gold box sitting beside the boy. He realized with something between dread and apprehension that one piece of the ancient puzzle was being held in tiny hands. Sugoroku cleared his throat lightly to announce his presence.

"Yuugi?"

It was several seconds before Yuugi acknowledged that he'd heard the man.

"Jii-chan…" the child whispered, slowly lifting his gaze to his grandfather. "Jii-chan, look." Almost reverently, he held out the gleaming puzzle piece for the man to see. "Isn't it _ beautiful?"_

There were so many things Sugoroku wanted to say to that. He wanted to tell Yuugi that it was the puzzle making him see it as even more desirable than it should have been. A small, treacherous part of him wanted to agree with the boy. But mostly, he wanted to tell Yuugi to put the puzzle piece back and never touch the potentially dangerous artifact again.

Just as he was opening his mouth to respond with the latter option, he really noticed for the first time the look in his grandson's eyes. They were positively sparkling with wonder and adoration, and almost seemed to glow with a happiness that brightened the little storage closet. Yuugi hadn't looked so happy since before his father Kendama had been admitted to the hospital in a coma, and with one look at those wide eyes and that joyous smile, Sugoroku knew he could never be the one to take away the child's happiness.

And anyway, all the stories about the Millennium Puzzle warned against those with corrupted hearts touching it. Sugoroku was well aware of the fact that he was nowhere close to perfect, but the puzzle seemed to have accepted his heart as a worthy one. Yuugi had the least corrupted heart of any person he knew, and therefore would be at no risk from the puzzle, according to its rules.

His mind made up, Sugoroku said, "I'm glad you like it. It is for you, after all."

"Really?" Yuugi gasped. Sugoroku nodded, and the little boy squealed in excitement. "Thank you thank you thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

Sugoroku chuckled. "Of course, it _ was _ going to be a birthday present, but it seems that a certain someone found it early." Yuugi giggled nervously.

"Oh… oops?"

Sugoroku just grinned. "That's quite alright. It's not like you were _ trying _ to find your present early, right?"

"Right." Yuugi said, nodding vigorously.

"See? No harm done."

Yuugi smiled, then looked back down at the piece of gold in his hand. Sugoroku noticed the shift in his grandson's attention.

"You know, Yuugi, there's quite a history behind that puzzle you've got."

"A history?" The boy questioned curiously.

"That's right, and I'm going to tell you all about it. But what do you say we go somewhere a little more comfortable first, hm?"

"Okay!" Yuugi agreed, quickly grabbing the puzzle box before leaping from the floor and bounding up the stairs. Sugoroku followed at a more sedate pace. When they were both seated on the living room couch, the man cleared his throat and began.

"What you hold in your hands is in fact a powerful artifact called the Millennium Puzzle." He said in his storytelling voice, and noted with satisfaction that Yuugi's eyes were fixed on him. He continued. "Years ago, an excavation team found the Millennium Puzzle in Egypt, deep within the tomb of a pharaoh in the Valley of the Kings…"

* * *

Ever since Yuugi had found the artifact (which was called the "Millennium Puzzle," the spirit remembered) the boy had been captivated by it. He didn't often bring it with him to school, knowing that it was safest for it to remain in his room, but he made time to be with the Puzzle every day.

The spirit often felt the child's soft, warm little fingers grasping the pieces of its puzzle, and sensed the intent of the one those fingers belonged to as he tried over and over again to fit the pieces together. The attempts were met with failure every time, and Yuugi sometimes went days between sessions of working on the puzzle while he gathered back up his will to try again, but no matter what, he never truly gave up hope that he would someday succeed in finishing the puzzle that no one else had ever been able to solve.

The spirit adored these sessions it had with the boy. The hands holding the pieces of his puzzle were the closest thing it had ever known to physical contact. This contact and the emotions it felt through the contact were what it looked forward to every day.

Sometimes Yuugi was in a positive mood. Other times the spirit could sense loneliness in the boy and wished with all its might that it could provide some form of comfort. But no matter what mood Yuugi was in, the spirit always felt a sense of determination not its own, whether it was strong or nearly beaten down. It liked to imagine that the boy knew it was trapped in the puzzle, and that the reason he was determined to finish it was because he wanted to free the spirit.  
  
But just as it had always been, what made the contact even more special was the boy's _ purity _. He still had the purest soul the spirit had ever felt, even purer than Sugoroku's.

* * *

The spirit wasn't sure exactly when it realized that it also wanted a gender. The spirit did know, however, that it was at some point after it became familiar with the small family that lived above the game shop. Sugoroku was male, and Yuugi was, too. The woman, Yuugi's mother Akako was female. The spirit knew this without needing to be told (not that anyone would tell such things to what was apparently only a bunch of scattered pieces of gold, anyway).

However, knowing who was male and who was female wasn't something that immediately cultivated any desire to fit into a category. The urge came after it started to learn more about the mortal family, and grew even more fond of them.

For a while, it frustrated the spirit to no end that it differed from the human family in this way. It tried to come up with a solution, but the best idea ended up being to _ give _itself a gender, like humans gave each other names.

_ Can that even be done? _ It wondered. That was what it always came back to: if it was something that could be done.

One day, it decided that it didn't matter whether or not it was "possible." It was going to assign itself a gender regardless.

Its two favorite people were Yuugi and Sugoroku (Yuugi's mother was a good person, but the spirit hadn't formed much more than a vague fondness for her). Both the boy and the man were male. It decided it wanted to be male also.

The Shadows watched, pleasantly surprised and confused, as the spirit broke into a rare "smile," not sure what had made their master so happy all of a sudden. The spirit didn't notice their confusion. He was too preoccupied with the joy and the pride he felt at the new form of identification he had obtained for himself.

* * *

It was about half a year after he "met" the boy that he realized a connection had begun to form between the two of them, similar to what he shared with the Shadows. The new bond was faint and thin, though, like a thread tying them together rather than his thick, sturdy, rope-like bond with the Shadows. The spirit was certain the boy had no idea that there was any connection at all, seeing as how humans seemed to be unable to sense such things until they were about as obvious to the spirit himself as a singing, dancing crocodile would be.

(The spirit barely spared a moment to wonder what a crocodile was. By now he was used to strangely familiar words he was sure he'd never heard before coming to his mind.)

* * *

Over the course of a one week period between the ninth and tenth months since the puzzle had been gifted to him, Yuugi's nameless and apparently incurable ailment was suddenly and inexplicably cured. The near-constant weakness left his limbs, and the random attacks, which had plagued him at least twice a week for as long as he could remember, just… stopped coming.

There was a period of time after his miraculous recovery where Yuugi was still mostly kept at home and monitored, just in case there was a relapse. When it became apparent that his illness wasn't coming back, though, a whole new world of opportunities opened up to him. Among them was that Yuugi would now be able to go to public school.

Of course, the staff were all made aware of his now former condition, and his soon-to-be teacher was instructed on what to do if the boy ever _ did _experience an attack. He would also have to be watched even more carefully than the other students. But none of that could quench the jittery excitement the boy felt when he learned he would be attending school with others his age.

Around the same time, the spirit began to experience split second flashes of fuzzy images of the outside world, which overlapped his vision. Each time, the flashes lasted longer and the images became clearer, until it was almost as though he were looking around at his stone surroundings. But in these images, everything was so much more colorful, so much _ brighter, _and unlike when he'd first experienced the light of the sun, this time it was like he could actually _ see _ it.

_ You are seeing it, _ whispered the voice. Ever since he'd begun to form his tenuous connection with Yuugi, the voice had been telling him things less and less often, but as always, he didn't question how it knew the words that it did. He just accepted the fact that somehow or other, he had gained an ability equivalent to sight outside of his own realm.

It wasn't long before he learned to control when and how long he used the ability, and realized just how useful this newfound sight was. For the first time ever, he could truly _ see _Sugoroku, Akako, and most importantly, Yuugi. To look upon his Light boy's large violet eyes and young, innocent face was the greatest gift he could imagine.

* * *

Yuugi came home from his first day of public school with a gleam in his eyes and a bounce in his step, and could barely wait for his grandpa to finish helping the woman at the counter with her purchase before jumping into his tale of teachers and classrooms and huge blackboards and the biggest group of kids he'd ever seen.

Later on, when his mother returned from her job, Yuugi was only too happy to repeat the entire story again.

* * *

At the end of the fourth day, he walked through the front door of the shop with a slight frown on his face. Right away he noticed the number of customers. Excluding his grandpa, there were already eight people in the shop before he arrived. In a larger store, eight people (or ten, counting Yuugi and Sugoroku) would have seemed a pitiful amount, but in the Kame Game Shop, it was quite a crowd.

"One moment, I'll be right with you!" Sugoroku called, his tone still polite despite the fact that he was carrying a box big enough that it covered his view of the door.

Seeing this, Yuugi almost went over to ask the man what he could do to help, but two things stopped him. The first was that there were already so many people packed inside the tiny room that even he, with his small size, would have been more of a hindrance than a help. The second was that his grandpa had always said that a customer was three times more likely to buy something if the employees were pleasant, and Yuugi didn't think he could put on a convincing smile right now if his life depended on it.

And so, after weaving his way carefully through the shop to avoid being trampled by accident, he squeezed through the door to upstairs. For once, he ignored the getabako and headed to his room without putting his shoes in their proper place.

Once he reached his room, he carelessly dropped his backpack on the floor and flopped on his bed, spread-eagle, pulling in shaky breaths as he stared at the ceiling. Alone for the first time all day, he allowed his tears to flow and his breath to hitch with quiet sobs.

Then he caught a glimpse of light at the edge of tear-blurred eyes, and let his head fall to the left. Sitting on top of his desk was the puzzle box, glinting brightly and invitingly.

Yuugi wiped the tears from his eyes and, almost without thought, sat up and reached for the glittering artifact.

Two floors down, Sugoroku was finally able to set down his heavy load. He turned to address whichever customer had walked in earlier.

"I apologize for the delay. How can I…" he trailed off, seeing no new customers.

_ Must have left when they saw how crowded it is, _ he concluded with a bit of disappointment, then mentally shrugged it off. After all, it was just a fact that the people who entered the shop didn't always buy anything, and there was nothing he could do about it.

* * *

It wasn't long before it became a regular occurrence for Yuugi to come home from school with barely suppressed tears, letting them out the moment he was alone in his room. The spirit would wait until the boy had fallen asleep at night before sending a Shadow or two to croon wordless mental encouragements. His subconscious picked up on them, and he usually awoke in the morning refreshed and ready for the day. He also began to take comfort in the dark, a feeling of inexplicable safety wrapping him in its cool, relaxing arms.

Then, for seemingly no reason, it started getting harder for the Shadows to materialize outside their box. It baffled the spirit, who eventually came to the conclusion that its loss was part of some sort of exchange.

It seemed that in return for his heightened awareness of the outside world, he'd lost most of his ability to interact with it. Though the spirit relished being able to see the little one, he would have gladly traded his sight for his former dulled sense of what was going on around him if it meant he could better protect his boy of Light.

The Shadows completely lost their ability to leave the spirit's labyrinth at exactly the worst time. Yuugi's father, who had been in the hospital ever since the hit and run, finally lost the fight against death. The whole family (or what was left of it) was devastated. With no Shadows to offer him solace, Yuugi no longer just found the dark calming. He acted as though he _ needed _ time in the dark. It was one of the only things that could bring him comfort anymore.

One day, after his grandfather had taken down a large black poster board to make room for a new advertisement, Yuugi brought it to his room, measured the edges of the skylight, cut the old poster board until it fit the window just right, and used half a roll of tape to keep it in place.

That evening, Sugoroku noticed that rather than seeing the light from the sunset streaming into the hallway through Yuugi's open door, the top floor was almost completely dark. Feeling along the wall, he flipped the light switch and saw the improvised blackout curtain. He frowned in slight confusion, but decided to let it be. Yuugi's room had become one of the only places of refuge in his world. If this was how Yuugi liked his room, he'd let him keep the poster board. The poor boy needed all the comfort he could get.

* * *

Kendama's funeral was held a few days after he had passed on. The sky was bright blue with a faint scattering of fluffy white clouds, and the temperature was just right. It had rained the day before. The ground had dried out since then, but the storm had left the air clear and clean. Birds chirped and fluttered between the branches of healthy, leafy trees.

It may as well have still been raining for the gloom that shrouded the three remaining members of the Mutou family.

The man's death deeply affected each one of them, and each reacted differently. Yuugi became quieter and more distant. Sugoroku, for more than one reason, took a more active role in raising his grandson: both to comfort and help fill the gaping hole in the boy's heart, and to distract himself. And Akako started to spend more and more time at work, at friends' houses, at various bars; anywhere except at home or around her remaining family members.

Eventually, she was gone so often that Sugoroku only saw her for maybe five hours a week, and Yuugi saw her even less.

The spirit saw the sadness and pain in his Light boy's eyes every time he went to bed without having seen his mother for days. The spirit began to resent her for it (not enough to punish her; the woman was Yuugi's mother after all, and Yuugi would only become further saddened if she were punished. It was for this reason and this reason only that the spirit continued to tolerate her).

* * *

It was a few months after Yuugi started public school that, through his handling of the puzzle pieces, the spirit noticed slowing in the boy's growth. It was the slightest thing, and no one else, including the boy himself, had noticed it, but it was there.

Even before he'd been able to see it, the spirit had felt the subtle change in the size of Yuugi's hands over time for nearly as long as the child had been trying to solve his puzzle, and it had not been completely uniform. In fact, at times they would grow almost as much in one month as they had grown in two months during other times. But the changes had always just seemed to come at the correct pace before now.

With each year that passed, the boy's growth continued to slow, until everyone noticed. And the more his growth slowed, the more his peers picked on him. His wild, spiky, and multicolored hair didn't help, nor did the fact that he wasn't interested in any of the things that the "cool kids" considered to be fun. Between the beginning and the end of his third year in public school, his status had gone from "shy-recluse-with-whom-one-may-sit-if-all-other-seats-are-either-taken-or-exceedingly-uncomfortable" to "social-pariah-with-whom-one-may-never-willingly-sit-under-any-circumstances-and-with-whom-one-should-only-interact-if-the-purpose-is-to-scorn."

The spirit had lost count of how many times he had been forced to only watch and listen when, in the dead of night, the boy sniffled and sometimes even sobbed (always softly, never loud enough to be heard by anyone outside of his room; he didn't want to worry or inconvenience even one person, especially not his grandfather or his mother, on the rare occasions she was around).

As far as the lonely child knew, he was without company in his sorrow, but always the spirit was right there along with him, wishing he were able to cry as well as he listened to the young one whisper into the dark room for the umpteenth time his wish – his _ plea _ – for true "Friends."

The word, like many that had a lot of emotional context, wasn't one that the spirit got a clear definition of, but he did receive the vague idea that these "Friends" were people that gave comfort. Comfort that his little one so desperately needed, and had been denied for so long. The spirit wanted to know the full meaning of the word "Friend," if only so he would know exactly what it was that Yuugi was missing.

Then one day, a spunky, brown-haired girl, new to their school and to the area but quickly becoming well-liked by many, noticed Yuugi being bullied outside the school building just after class let out. She stomped her way over to his current tormentors and promptly told them off. The boy watched in awe as her no-nonsense attitude and the sharp, uncompromising expression she wore caused the larger, older students to seemingly shrink beneath her gaze before obeying her and scrambling away.

Both boy and spirit were elated beyond words when she turned back to him and offered her hand. When he shyly took it, she pulled him to his feet, introducing herself as Anzu Mazaki and stating that she was going to be his Friend from then on. Her voice left no room for argument. Not that Yuugi would've ever _ dreamed _of turning down her "request" for friendship.

It was at that point that the spirit came to the conclusion that a "Friend" was someone who cared for and protected another; someone who would defend them no matter what the cost.

* * *

Three months later, the slightest bit of Anzu's personality had rubbed off on the boy; he'd become a little less reclusive, he stood a little straighter, and every once in a while, he could even make and hold eye contact with his peers. The spirit watched with contentment the slow but steady progress Yuugi had been making with the girl's help.

Then tragedy struck: the Mazaki family moved away, and of course Anzu was brought – unwillingly, with much shouting, and while being all but literally dragged along – with the rest of her family. And the bullies, who had been kept at bay by the fiery girl, descended immediately, like vultures deprived of a meal for far too long.

Helpless to stop them, the spirit uselessly thought of his understanding of what a "Friend" was: someone who cared for and _ protected _ another; someone who _ defended _them no matter what the cost. Never before had he wished so hard that it was possible for him to be Yuugi's Friend.

* * *

The spirit raged and mourned as, slowly but surely, the light that was Yuugi's heart began to flicker and dim. It was still brighter than even Sugoroku's light, and it was still the purest he had ever felt, but he lamented the fact that it had even dimmed at all. The boy became more withdrawn, more easily frightened, and more skittish than he had ever been. He became less trusting of others and lost some of his formerly boundless enthusiasm for the new shipments that arrived at the shop.

Most distressingly of all, at least for the spirit, Yuugi's self confidence and self esteem took a nosedive until they were basically nonexistent. Until the boy was one step away from really and truly loathing himself. And the spirit _ hated _ it.

It was a profound contradiction to all that was right for his precious Light to dislike himself! It was utterly _ wrong _ that his little one's light had been dimmed in the slightest degree! This was _ not how it should be! _

At times, the spirit's dark thoughts and emotions built to such frightening levels that they burst from him in flares of indignation that spread throughout his prison, provoking his Shadows to anger as well. They beat against the walls of the endless maze, raging and shrieking in frustration at being imprisoned so soon after having gained access to a world outside of the maddeningly dull underground tomb. And so soon after finding the mortal with such a deliciously bright, warm heart, too! They echoed the spirit's desire for freedom, as well as his reasoning for that desire.

** _Let us out!_ ** They demanded in their primitive pseudo-language. ** _Let us stop the Light from fading!_ ** The Puzzle was always unresponsive and oblivious to the demands, and the Shadows always hissed their outrage and pounded even harder against the walls. 

It was never long before the labyrinth was reverberating with crests of cacophonous wrath. The spirit would have long since gone deaf if he'd had physical ears. As it was, he was always forced to drag his thoughts quickly to less upsetting matters in order to avoid the mental pain he knew would develop as a result of prolonged exposure to such intense negative emotions.

It took the Shadows a while to calm down as well. They never gave up. No matter how many times this happened, they always, unfailingly responded in the same way. The spirit wasn't sure if he felt more impressed at their persistence or astounded at their utter stupidity. Probably the latter, as he often found himself feeling offended when he watched them mindlessly pound against the walls, make demands to the inanimate prison that it release them, shriek when nothing worked, and ultimately make complete fools of themselves.

It was at these times that he questioned whether he'd been correct when he had come to the conclusion that he was also a Shadow, albeit a smarter, stronger and overall superior one to those under his command. Considering their behavior, it was beginning to seem less and less likely that he and they were of the same kind.

(He shoved away the memories, the earliest he had, of him doing the exact same thing as they were now, back when the Shadows had tormented him and every moment of his existence had been comprised of terror and agony.)

The aggravating cycle continued:

The spirit was forced to watch uselessly while Yuugi's bright heart gradually dimmed.

His frustration built until it surged out into the rest of his prison.

The Shadows were reminded once again that they wanted the freedom to protect their master's Light, and raged when they remained trapped and unable to to so.

The spirit tugged his thoughts toward more positive or mundane topics.

The distraction only worked for a short amount of time before his mind was dragged back to the hopeless situation.

And so on and so forth, over and over again, until the spirit started to wonder if his chances of retaining his sanity would have been better if he'd just been left buried in the earth.

* * *

Yuugi turned fifteen, and the spirit realized that it had been just a little under eight years since his Light had first received the golden box and the puzzle inside. The boy was now in the first year of something called "high school," which both he and the spirit had decided almost immediately was the worst place on earth when Yuugi had entered it a month prior.

Neither Yuugi nor the spirit could've predicted the events that were about to be set into motion.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Set the Stage

"Woohoo!"

"Finally!"

"-nch time-"

"Yes!"

"-et's play basketba-"

"We'll let the girls play too, this ti-"

"-outta here!"

"-et everyone-"

"-ven _ him?_ Who's gonna te-"

"-I'm starv-"

Lunch break had finally arrived, and the vast majority of the class had immediately transformed into a mass of whooping, chattering excitement that swarmed for the door. There were only a few students who weren't rushing noisily from their seats, instead opting to take their time.

One such student sitting near the back of the class barely seemed to react to the declaration of temporary freedom other than to glance up at the front of the room to check that the teacher had left. Once assured that this was the case, he reached into his desk and pushed aside some school supplies before pulling out the case for a game he had sneakily stashed at the back. He placed it on the desk, opened the case, and took out the game pieces.

Yuugi was soon immersed in his own activities, unaware of the goings-on of the rest of the classroom. His eyes were narrowed slightly in concentration, totally focused on the game of miniature Pop-up Pirate that sat in front of him. He carefully slid one of the tiny plastic swords into a slot in the side of the barrel, releasing a sigh of relief when nothing happened. Then he picked up another sword.

"Hey, Yuugi!"

Yuugi jumped in surprise, the plastic sword in his hand jerking forward at just the right angle for it to jab into another of the slots. The little pirate figurine that had been lying in wait inside the barrel was launched into the air, and Yuugi jumped again with a small "eep!" at the second surprise in as many seconds.

A moment later, embarrassed and blushing, he quickly tried composing himself as he looked around for who had spoken. He caught sight of a rather nondescript boy whose name he couldn't recall at the moment. The boy held a basketball under his arm and was standing a few feet from the door, conspicuously stationary while the eight or so other students still in the classroom headed for freedom.

"Quit playing games by yourself and come play basketball for once," said the nondescript boy, shifting impatiently and obviously itching to join his other classmates for lunch break rather than waste his time and potentially tarnish his reputation by hanging around a social outcast. He must have drawn the short straw.

Yuugi looked at the basketball, thought of the times he'd had to participate in the sport for gym class, and immediately shied away from the idea.

"That's okay," he timidly declined, glancing back at the game on his desk for a second. "My team would just lose…"

A small, resigned smile briefly ghosted across his lips. The other boy gave a shrug that said "suit yourself" and quickly left to go join his friends, not bothering to argue with Yuugi's statement. They both knew it was true.

The last of his classmates exited the classroom, and Yuugi gave a half-sigh at the bad luck he'd been having with several luck-based games lately. Even if he hadn't been on a streak of rotten luck, basketball would still have been a no-go for him. The sport relied very little on luck and required a great deal more physical skill and strength than he possessed. It was best for himself and everyone else that he didn't join in on the game. He stood up to retrieve the pirate figurine and a couple of plastic swords that had been jostled to the floor.

_ I wish I could play my kind of games with someone, _ Yuugi thought wistfully. Never mind that he would probably spend the whole time trying to hold back flinches at every sudden movement they made. After years of others walking all over him, it had become so ingrained a reaction that he questioned if he would ever be able to rid himself of it. Despite this, his one wish was still the same as it had always been. He still wanted friends.

Sometimes he wondered why in the world that was. He'd mostly gotten used to being isolated whether he was in a crowd or not, and pretty much everyone other than his grandpa and very small children made him at least a little bit nervous. Maybe it was like his reflexive flinching; maybe he'd spent so long wishing for the same thing that the desire was ingrained in him.

Yuugi set the plastic swords and pirate figurine down on his desk with the rest of the pieces and packed them up in their case, then freed his backpack from its hook on the side of his desk and tucked the case into it so he was sure to bring the game back home with him once school let out for the day. Light glinted off something else in the backpack and caught his attention. His lips quirked up at the corners in a small but genuine smile.

_ And speaking of wishes… _

Yuugi briefly took the Pop-up Pirate case out in order to free the object beneath it. He slid the object from its confines with care, too focused on it to bother using the same care with the bland-looking box in his other hand. He thoughtlessly stuffed it back into his bag so he could use both hands to place the other item down on his desk.

Before him there now sat a dazzling golden box, adorned with a number of delicate hieroglyphs and one bold, stylized eye, all of which had obviously been carved with meticulous attention to detail. Two plain rubber bands held the lid of the beautiful box in place, keeping its contents from falling out. Wrinkling his nose in distaste, Yuugi removed them, smiling once they were gone.

_ Inside this box is my greatest treasure: the Millennium Puzzle! _ He thought to himself, mentally narrating with a rather theatrical inner voice. _ However, you have to keep it a secret! This riddle is a hint: it's something that you can see, but have never seen before. What do you think it is? _

As if waiting for a response, Yuugi paused for a moment. Then he reached out and slowly began to lift the lid.

_ The answer is- _

Suddenly, something swooped down in front of him and snatched to box right out of Yuugi's hands. He yelped, thoroughly pulled from his one-sided internal "conversation," and turned around quickly so his eyes could follow the path his treasure had taken. His gaze landed on Hiroto Honda, a relatively tall boy with medium brown hair that he always had sculpted into a straight, precise point at the front of his head. Yuugi felt he could safely assume that he was the one to take the puzzle box.

"What are you talking to yourself about, Yuugi? Jeez, you win the prize for creepy!" Honda looked at Yuugi as if he'd said the dumbest thing ever, and Yuugi blushed. Oops. Apparently he'd been thinking aloud again.

"Also, your 'greatest treasure?'" Honda continued. "What's that supposed to mean?" He snickered, glancing at the object in his hand with amusement.

"Something you see, but have never seen before?" A different voice said, and Yuugi finally noticed that another one of his other classmates, a boy named Katsuya Jounouchi, was standing just behind Honda. Jounouchi was a couple inches shorter than Honda and was recognizable by his shaggy blonde hair and his reckless, slightly hot headed attitude.

"What's in here anyway?" Jounouchi asked, grabbing the box from Honda to look at for himself.

Yuugi watched his careless treatment of the artifact with such nervousness that he could feel his knees wanting to tremble, but he forced them to stay still and instead hurriedly said, "Y-you can look, just don't lose anything! It's r-really important to me!" Great, now he was stuttering.

Jounouchi ignored him and lifted the lid, glancing at the contents. The small amount of genuine curiosity he'd had about what was in the box quickly faded. He scoffed. Inside were just some scattered pieces of metal. Probably another silly puzzle, knowing his smaller classmate. Admittedly, the pieces did look kinda like gold, but while he would deny it, Jounouchi knew that Yuugi wasn't totally dumb. At least, he couldn't be dumb enough to carry around a bunch of gold with him, even if he _ wasn't _one of the most picked on kids in school.

"Well this is stupid," Jounouchi said, looking up from the box and quirking an unimpressed eyebrow at Yuugi. "It's just a bunch of… sparkly, girly stuff. I bet there's not even an ounce of real gold in it, either." He let the lid fall closed and turned to his comrade. "Here, Honda. Catch."

The puzzle box went sailing through the air toward the unprepared brown-haired teen, who instinctively leapt forward to catch it before it hit the ground.

Yuugi gasped in alarm, belatedly and uselessly reaching out his hand for the box. Then Honda tossed it back to Jounouchi, who grinned and did the same.

"No, wait! Honda-kun, Jounouchi-kun!" He scrambled around his desk to get closer but could do nothing except watch helplessly while the two tossed his most prized possession back and forth as if it were an old football. "Please, s-stop throwing the Puzzle like that!"

A particularly careless throw, and the lid bounced off, landing on the (thankfully carpeted) floor and allowing a few pieces of the puzzle to topple out as well. Yuugi's hands and arms and legs and _ everything _ were shaking with anxiety as he scrambled in vain to catch the pieces. "_Please_! You don't know how much it means to me!" Jounouchi caught the box and paused, looking at Yuugi.

"Well then, why dont'cha man up and come take it back?" Jounouchi said, holding the box out and waving it around temptingly close to Yuugi, then pulling it away when it looked like his shaky hands might just reach for the object.

"Nuh-uh, it's not gonna be that easy. Come on, hit me! If your punch is any less wimpy than you are, I might just _ give _ the stupid thing to you. No fuss, no muss. So," he spread his arms out in invitation, looking almost like he was waiting to be hugged instead of hit. Yuugi felt a wave of humiliation at the idea that that might _ actually _ be what the other boy was expecting. "Go ahead! Show me what you got!"

Honda watched from where he leaned against the door frame, a slightly bewildered but mostly bored expression on his face. Why was Jounouchi even bothering with their classmate? It was totally pointless; they'd started high school less than two months ago, and everyone knew by now that Yuugi Mutou was on the top five list of weakest, most harmless students at Domino High. In fact, if it weren't for those two other wimps, Tomoya Hanasaki and What's-his-bucket Imori, Honda would've been able to say with absolute certainty that Yuugi took first place, hands down. As it was though, the three short teenagers probably all tied for first.

Honda was brought out of his thoughts when Yuugi took a step closer to Jounouchi. The smaller boy had completely stopped shaking and his muscles were no longer taut with stress. His hands were balled at his sides and his eyes, which had become eerily empty and almost clouded, were locked onto the puzzle box. He took another step towards Jounouchi, then another. Honda's own eyes widened, and his slouch against the wall straightened somewhat.

_ You've gotta be kidding me, _ he thought, practically gaping. _ Is he actually going to- _

Then Yuugi stopped walking forward and just stood there for a few seconds, his gaze still firmly on the puzzle box in Jounouchi's hand. Slowly, his eyes regained their focus, and he pulled them away from the box. He shook his head slightly, blinking a few times as if he were coming out of a daze. And perhaps that was exactly what was happening, because when he saw how close he had gotten to Jounouchi, a look of surprise joined the one of anxiety in his expression and he unconsciously took a small step backwards.

He glanced at the golden box that was still being held hostage before looking back at the blonde teenager, and though he didn't realize it, a look of defeat and absolute devastation crossed his face and stayed there. 

"Please," he whispered. "Please just give it back. I," he paused, seeing a tiny, split second flash of what looked like disappointment in Jounouchi's eyes. It most likely wasn't, but it made him swallow and bow his head in shame, anyway. "I don't want to hit you, Jounouchi-kun… I-I _ can't _hit you… I hate violence…" he finished in a whisper, closing his eyes with his head still bowed.

Jounouchi studied him with a critical eye for several seconds.

"Whatever," he scoffed, turning to leave. Yuugi's eyes opened and his head snapped back up to look at the other teen in shock, temporarily forgetting about his possibly misplaced feeling of shame. "I was gettin' bored of this, anyway."

Then Jounouchi let go of the box. It started to fall, and Yuugi frantically lunged for it. Unlike with the puzzle pieces, he managed to catch the box before it hit the floor. He let out a shaky sigh of relief, then looked back up to see Honda following Jounouchi out the door, staring at his friend with an odd expression. Yuugi didn't blame him. He was confused about Jounouchi's actions, too.

The weight of the puzzle box in his hands brought him out of his confusion, and he quickly went in search of any other misplaced puzzle pieces that might be scattered across the floor. After triple checking that no gold pieces remained on the floor, he closed the lid, secured it with the rubber bands, and hugged the box to his chest. Then he looked up at the clock.

Four minutes until lunch was over. He'd gotten lost in his thoughts again, and as always, time had passed by much faster than he had been expecting it to. There was no way he would make it to lunch now. He sighed a little.

_ Oh well. I can always eat when I get home. _

* * *

"Hey man, what was that back there?" Honda asked Jounouchi. The two were walking down the now deserted hall in the direction of the cafeteria. Nonchalantly scuffing the tile floor with his sneaker, the other teen played dumb.

"What was what back where?"

"You know," Honda said, "Why did you just let him have it?"

Jounouchi shrugged carelessly. "I already said why; I got bored." The response was just a little too casual, and his classmate knew him just a little too well. Honda eyed him even more suspiciously.

"I call bull." He declared. "You can do the same stupid thing for hours and never get bored of it, yet you get bored less than five minutes into of one of your little 'teach Yuugi to be a man' plots you like so much? I'm not buying it." Then he had another thought. "Why do you even bother with the shrimp? It's not like you're _ actually _trying to teach him anything, right?"

Jounouchi suddenly got a shifty look in his eyes. "'Course I'm not!" He said quickly.

Honda raised an eyebrow at him dubiously. "Don't tell me you're going soft," he teased, though it was only half hearted.

"No way!" Jounouchi denied with a fierce glare. "Look, I'll prove it!" He stopped walking to dig around in his pocket for the item he'd sneakily slipped into it without really getting a good look. He found what he was searching for and pulled the object out, his fingers remaining closed around it for a few seconds. Just as Honda was about to snap at him to quit it with the dramatic suspense, Jounouchi opened his hand to reveal one of the shiny pieces from Yuugi's puzzle box.

Both he and Honda nearly jumped when they got their first real look at it, startled by the eerie, unnaturally gleaming golden eye that stared blankly up at them and sent unexplained shivers down their spines. Then they each mentally chastised themselves for getting so irrationally scared of a stupid piece of metal. Once Honda could look at it with only a slight amount of trepidation, it finally registered to him what it was. His eyes met Jounouchi's, incredulous.

"Is that-?"

"Yeah. Guy probably hasn't even realized it's gone yet." Jounouchi smirked smugly while his gut twisted. He resolutely told himself he felt nothing but what his expression showed.

"Huh," Honda replied, not knowing how else to respond. Even ignoring the fading but unsettling tingle that still ran through him from looking at the puzzle piece, there was something that bugged him. He wasn't entirely sure what he was feeling, but whatever it was, he didn't like it very much.

"See? If that doesn't show I'm still serious, I don't know what does." Jounouchi said, slipping the piece back into his pocket with another poorly concealed shiver. They fell silent, neither of them having anything to say and neither really caring.

Then Honda snorted unexpectedly. Before Jounouchi could jump to any conclusions and assume the taller boy was mocking him or something, Honda explained, "I was just remembering that assembly we had last month where they were talking about bullying in schools."

Jounouchi suddenly got an indignant look on his face, and without realizing it, he stopped walking. "That thing was so stupid! They listed like a thousand different 'unacceptable and hurtful behaviors' and pretty much said that if someone does any of 'em, they're a bully!"

"Those people just don't get it!" Honda said, he and Jounouchi now feeding off each other's escalating emotions. "All we're doing is keeping wimps on their toes. We're doing society a favor!"

"Yeah!" Jounouchi agreed. "Can you imagine if they all got used to being babied? Then when someone comes along and wants to _ actually _hurt them, they'll be totally unprepared for it!" He glared at a wall, addressing it as if it were one of the people preaching nonsense at the assembly. "Bet you never thought of that, did ya?" He sneered self-righteously at it, not seeing Honda stare oddly at him for the third time that day. "Who're you callin' a bully? I haven't done anything wrong!"

A memory from less than ten minutes before popped into his mind: him standing over Yuugi in their classroom while the shorter boy looked at him with misery and utter defeat showing in both his small, slumped shoulders and his large, desperate eyes. Jounouchi's stomach flip-flopped sickeningly and all feelings of self-righteousness fled from him.

To try countering the unwanted guilt, he kicked the wall, puffed out his chest and began strutting down the hall. Unfortunately, he was too busy with his prideful display to notice the person walking the other way until he was crashing right into them. The force knocked him backwards and he landed on his rear in a rather undignified manner.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" He yelled before even looking to see who he'd bumped into. If he hadn't been so worked up, he might have noticed how Honda had gone completely silent instead of laughing his head off like he would have normally been doing by now.

Finally he looked up. And up. And up.

Standing over him and looking totally unphased, as though Jounouchi running into him had as much effect on him as a toddler would have on Jounouchi by nudging him, was a man with small, dark eyes, dark hair, and ridiculously thick eyebrows. But most noteworthy of all, he was absolutely _ gargantuan_.

Jounouchi quickly stood up to reduce the height difference, sure that the guy only looked so big because the blonde had been sitting on the ground. He was proven wrong when he found he still had to crane his neck to look at the other's face. He and Honda, who was standing nervously a few feet behind him, barely made it up to a little bit above the guy's elbows.

"What were you saying about bullies?" Asked the man who Jounouchi had already begun referring to in his mind as Mr. Giant Guy. Those dark little eyes pierced Jounouchi's.

Jeez, was this what Yuugi felt when looking at his peers? If so, then Jounouchi seriously pitied him.

_ Wait, what?! _

Jounouchi quashed the thought. Yuugi was a wimpy little kid who wouldn't stand up for himself. Jounouchi was _ not _ a wimp! He was a real man! He violently shoved down his nervousness and scowled at the freakishly tall person <strike> towering over </strike> _ standing in front of_ him.

"None of your business!" He snapped, head held high. "Stay out of this, you f-"

His insult was cut off by an arm catching him in a surprise headlock and a hand clamping over his mouth and nose, though he was sure the latter was an accident when the hand's owner spoke and turned out to be Honda.

"N-nothing! It's nothing! We were just, uh, talking about that assembly we had a while back! You know, the one about bullying!"

The giant looked at the brunette blandly, the only hint of emotion on his face being the slight quirk of an eyebrow. "I see." He stated. After a moment, he added, "Bullying's no good."

Honda nodded his head vigorously. "That's right! You-you are _ absolutely _ right! Bullying is _ terrible_!" Jounouchi started to squirm in his grip, but he didn't let go. 

Apparently, that was enough to satisfy the man, as he resumed his walk down the hall. Honda watched him go with trepidation when he suddenly spoke again.

"Oh, and be sure to properly button your school uniform."

The brunette nodded again, though the other couldn't see it. "You got it!" He said, thankful that he had already done as commanded but worried about the way his friend had left his rumpled jacket completely unbuttoned.

Continuing to ignore Jounouchi's squirming, Honda kept his hand and fake smile firmly in place until the enormous guy rounded the corner at the end of the hall. As soon as he was gone, the brunette dropped both his hand and the smile. Jounouchi coughed and began taking in gulps of fresh air, but started shouting the moment he'd caught his breath.

"What was that for, you jerk?! I couldn't breathe!"

"Idiot! Don't you know who that was?" Honda hissed, ignoring the blonde's indignant yelling.

"No, and I don't care!" Jounouchi huffed, about to start up again when Honda responded, looking decidedly aggravated.

"Well you should! That was _ Tetsu Ushio _ you almost insulted! He's not just a public moral member, he's the head of them! A lot of the school rules were made by him. Anything he says goes. Even the teachers have less influence than him. He's freaking untouchable! You can't just go around insulting people like him!"

That made Jounouchi close his mouth, thoughts spinning in his head. Strangely, one of the first things that entered his mind was surprise that this Ushio wasn't actually an adult like he'd thought. How in the world was that guy only a few years older than he and Honda!

"Hey, hold on a sec," he said as another thought came to him. "How do you know all that stuff about this guy, but I haven't even heard of him until now?"

At that, Honda lifted his chin and straightened in an almost militaristic fashion.

"Public moral members often rub elbows with beautification club members. Though we go about it in different ways, both Ushio's group and mine are in the profession of trying to purify the school. It's only logical that I would know about him, isn't it?"

This time, it was Jounouchi who sent an odd look in the other's direction. Honda would get these odd obsessions every once in a while, but he was used to them by now, and they didn't really bother him since the brunette usually got over them after a couple of weeks.

_ This _ obsession, the stupid "beautification club" stuff, had been going on since almost the very beginning of the school year, and somehow it was _ still _ holding Honda's interest. Jounouchi was seriously hoping it would go away soon, because while he could usually get used to his friend's shifting hobbies, something he _ couldn't _ quite get used to was the way Honda's speech suddenly became more formal now whenever he talked about his "sacred" duties as a janitor – no, not janitor, sorry! A _ beautification club member_.

Jounouchi snorted. Honda looked over at him.

"Yeah? You got something to say?" He said defensively, his speech back to normal. His eyes were narrowed.

Jounouchi just smirked, then whistled innocently, knowing it would get a rise out of the other teen. And it did. Honda growled slightly and tensed, ready to tackle the source of his irritation right there in the hall. Just as he lunged, however, Jounouchi came to a sudden stop, and Honda went toppling to the ground, his own weight betraying him. He turned around and got up, ready for another go. Then he saw the frown on Jounouchi's face. He huffed in annoyance, but held himself back.

"What is it now?" He asked impatiently.

Jounouchi's frown stayed in place as he looked thoughtfully at a chipped floor tile. "When we left the class, the clock said there were twenty minutes 'til lunch was over," he said, then blinked. By now, there were probably less than ten minutes left, and they were still nearly on the opposite side of the school from the cafeteria. Both he and Honda looked at each other.

"Well crap." Honda said simply. Then they both sprinted down the hall, fervently hoping they'd make it in time to get lunch.

Jounouchi couldn't have run more than thirty feet before a chilling tingle emanated from his pocket, giving him goosebumps and causing him to stop. He pulled the puzzle piece from his pocket.

It took Honda several seconds to notice he was no longer being followed, and in that time, Jounouchi looked back at the unnerving, probably fake gold puzzle piece in his hand and shivered again. Disgusted at his reaction to one stupid, inanimate object, he shook his head, glancing out one of the windows that lined the wall and down at the canal that ran along one side of the school. On impulse, he opened the window. Then he took one last look at the creepy eye and chucked it outside.

He firmly told himself that it was definitely triumph he was feeling as he saw it tumble through the air, and that his gut was definitely _ not _squirming or tying itself in knots as he watched the puzzle piece plunge beneath the surface of the water and sink to the bottom of the canal.

"Come on, you idiot! We're gonna miss lunch!" Honda shouted at him from farther down the hall.

Jounouchi ran to catch up with a thoroughly ticked off Honda, feelings of guilt and thoughts of creepy puzzle pieces wiped from his mind in his pursuit of food.

* * *

Yuugi opened one of the side doors of the school, glad to be done with classes for the day. The bell signalling the end of school had gone off a little more than half an hour before, so there was no one else around, just like he'd predicted. He'd remained hidden for a time after class, waiting for the other students to leave, as had been his custom for the past several years. His waiting had paid off, and fortunately, there was no one around to bother him on his way home.

As another stroke of luck, he had been assigned almost no homework! He was looking forward to the quiet time he would have to work on the Puzzle. With a little smile now on his face and a slight spring to his step, he headed for the gates. Rounding a corner, he suddenly heard several shouting voices, and quickly ducked back behind the edge of the wall. He cautiously peeked back around the corner of the building to see what it was he would have to avoid.

Unexpectedly, what he saw was a gathering of about fifteen students who were assembled in neat, orderly rows, facing one figure even taller than them. Squinting to make out the figure, Yuugi realized that it was Tetsu Ushio, if he remembered the name correctly.

_ They must be the public moral guys, _ he realized. Members of the public moral group were essentially the school's hall monitors. He had never seen any of them in action, but he'd heard that they took what they did very seriously. He'd caught glimpses of them between classes, and he knew that they were the ones who kept order. Their job was a very important one. He should definitely avoid disrupting their training.

As inconspicuous as possible, Yuugi continued on his original course for the front gates. He had only been walking for a few seconds when a voice stopped him.

"Hey, you! Wait a moment."

Yuugi started at the loud voice and glanced over his shoulder at the group. All but one of the students were still in formation, standing straight-backed and ready for orders. Only Ushio-san was facing him, and all his attention seemed to have been drawn to the younger teen. Well, so much for not disrupting anyone.

"Y-yeah?" He asked.

Ushio started towards Yuugi. "You're Yuugi Mutou, right?"

The upperclassman got closer, and as he did Yuugi felt as though his feet had been glued to the ground. Ushio-san was _ huge_! His fists were level with Yuugi's face, and Yuugi could swear each one was almost as big as his head. He gulped, but tried to shake off his fear. After all, Ushio-san was the head of the people who helped keep order in the school. That meant that he was a protector, and therefore not someone Yuugi should be afraid of.

"Um, yes," he all but squeaked as soon as he had somewhat regained his voice.

"I've actually been meaning to ask you something."

Yuugi blinked. What could someone so important possibly want to ask him? His unasked question was answered a moment later.

"Have students in your class been bullying you?"

"Huh?" Yuugi blurted intelligently, caught off guard. He regained control of his thoughts and mouth quickly, though, and immediately protested.

"Nothing like that's happened to me!"

He was about to politely say his farewells and leave when Ushio spoke again.

"Wait a moment. People who are bullied often deny that it's happening. I'll have to properly investigate this." Ushio hummed thoughtfully and briefly studied the boy. Yuugi tried not to squirm in discomfort. "You can relax, Yuugi-kun. I'll be your bodyguard from now on."

An image of Ushio-san following him around everywhere popped into Yuugi's thoughts, and his mind immediately rebelled against it. Not only would that take away a huge portion of Ushio-san's valuable time, it would totally ruin what little respect his classmates had for Yuugi (he forced himself to believe that that respect _ did _exist). Plus, he still couldn't shake that unsettled feeling he got when he was around the other.

"But that hasn't happened; no one's been bullying me!" He protested again. "I-if you'd please excuse me, I really have to be going now, Ushio-san! Goodbye!"

Yuugi turned on his heal and dashed for the school gates, feeling Ushio's gaze on his back the entire time. He shivered slightly, unnerved. Perhaps it would be best if he took the bus home today.

* * *

By the time Yuugi made it to the front door of Kame Game Shop, thethe scattering of clouds in the west were just beginning to take on the yellow-orange tinge that signaled the start of the sun setting, and he was feeling much calmer. The hairs on the back of his neck that had been raised were now settled back down and his previously bunched muscles were relatively relaxed.

As he reached for the handle, he noticed with mild interest that the sign on the inside of the door had been flipped to "CLOSED." How odd. The shop was usually open at least another hour.

He stuffed his right hand into the baggy opening of his left jacket sleeve and fished around for a moment to locate the inconspicuous little flap. When he found it, he undid the little fold and slipped his extra house key out of the tiny hidden pocket he'd made as an anti theft measure. Unlocking the door, he called out his usual after school greeting.

"I'm home, Jii-chan!"

A responding call of "Welcome back!" came from the floor above, and Yuugi smiled as he closed and re-locked the door behind him. He breathed in deeply through his nose, smelling dinner even from the first floor.

"You're a bit late, Yuugi." Sugoroku commented when his grandson stepped into the little kitchen, his backpack still slung over one shoulder and recently shucked shoes grasped in his hand. Yuugi ducked his head, blushing in embarrassment.

"Sorry, Jii-chan," he mumbled, scuffing the floor with his toe. Sugoroku just shook his head and smiled fondly, choosing not to push.

"Not to worry, my boy. Now," he clapped his hands together once, "how about some food, eh?" Yuugi beamed.

"Okay!"

After dashing to his room to drop off his backpack and shoes (as well as being scolded – and ignoring the scolding – for not putting the latter in their proper place for about the five hundredth time) Yuugi came back to the kitchen. Sugoroku huffed, but his exasperation was soon quelled when his grandson thoughtfully set the table for both of them.

Yuugi's stomach growled fiercely as he sat down and scooted his chair in, giving him an unnecessary reminder of the fact that he hadn't eaten since breakfast. As soon as they were both seated, he reached for the closest of the two serving dishes and pulled it toward him, lifting the lid. His mouth watered at the smell that wafted up with the steam.

Sugoroku Mutou wasn't the worst chef out there; his cooking had never made anyone that queasy, and he rarely burned things too badly. There were no tales to be told or songs to be sung of poisoned or completely inedible meals made by his hands.

That being said, it was also well known among any who had spent a decent amount of time around the Mutous that Sugoroku was by no means a great cook.

However, Yuugi's empty stomach was influencing his sense of smell, and his grandfather's cooking currently smelled _ heavenly_. Looking at it, he realized for the first time that there was enough for three people instead of just the two of them. But no one else was over, so why would there be so much?

The thought was quickly brushed off, and he served himself some of the main dish while his grandpa was busy with the side dish: a simple bowl of steamed vegetables. When he was done serving, he passed the large container to the man, who returned the favor by sliding the smaller bowl towards him.

Not much later, Yuugi had polished off his plate, but was still hungry. The older Mutou finished soon after him, and he glanced furtively at his grandpa, only to find his gaze already on Yuugi. Sugoroku was sitting back with his fingers laced, making no move to indicate he wanted seconds. There was a knowing look in the man's eyes, and the boy once again blushed and ducked his head.

His grandfather always seemed to know things that really should have been impossible for him to know, so it shouldn't have surprised him that the old man had decided to make extra food on a day Yuugi had missed out on lunch.

As a child, he had once asked Sugoroku, wide-eyed and mystified, if he could read minds. The man had looked him in the eyes with a solemn expression and told him that all old people could read minds. Yuugi had squeaked nervously and scampered off. Thinking back on it, he could just imagine his grandfather, the unrepentant tease that he was, bursting into laughter as soon as Yuugi was out of earshot.

Inwardly snorting at the amusing mental image, he sent the man a grateful smile and scooped another helping onto his plate.

* * *

After dinner, the two Mutous joined forces with dish soap and scrubbies to abolish the remnants of food still left on their dishes and utensils, then sought the help of a wet dish towel to wipe down the table. Once that was finished, they went their separate ways, Sugoroku to the living room to watch a bit of television before bed and Yuugi to his bedroom to work some more on the Puz- er, on his homework.

Only a few minutes after sitting down at the wooden desk under the skylight in his room, Yuugi heard a loud complaint coming from the living room. Curious, he got up to go check out what was happening, absently grabbing the puzzle box and taking it with him.

Upon entering the living room, he heard his grandfather mumbling under his breath as he kneeled on the floor at the back of the TV, which was currently letting out the annoying sound of crackling static, the picture only half-visible behind a frenetic, tumultuous wall of black and white dots. Yuugi ventured closer, setting the puzzle box down on the tea table as he passed the sofa.

"Blasted electronics!" He heard more clearly as he got closer. "First the phone, now the TV…" the man's mini-rant quieted back down to the occasional grumble. Yuugi bent down next to his grandpa.  
  


"Jii-chan?" He asked. Sugoroku started, bumping his head on edge of the TV stand. He let out a quiet cuss, and Yuugi blushed at the colorful language. "S-sorry!" Yuugi stuttered as the man looked up, an irritated scowl still on his face. The scowl quickly dropped and was replaced by a smile.

"It's quite alright, Yuugi. This old head of mine has taken far worse hits than that little tap there, and I'm still alive, aren't I? I was just frustrated at the TV, that's all." He turned and pressed the power button, cutting off the irritating noise and jumbled picture.

"Do you need help fixing it?" Yuugi asked.

The old man's lips quirked up a bit higher at his grandson's thoughtfulness, but he shook his head.

"No, I think I'll be just fine. And I suppose I could wait until tomorrow to get it fixed, anyhow; the phone already went out on me earlier today, so I might as well get them both taken care of at the same time…" he trailed off, beginning to muse. "Hm… that scientific journal on ancient Egyptian artifacts that I've been meaning to finish reading is still sitting on the bookshelf. I think I'll do that instead." At that moment, he caught sight of the golden puzzle box sitting on the tea table.

"And speaking of ancient Egyptian artifacts…" he mumbled to himself, then continued louder, his voice incredulous, "You still haven't given up on that puzzle yet, Yuugi?"

Yuugi frowned, looking affronted by the mere suggestion. "Of course I haven't! Why would I do that?"

Sugoroku shook his head in exasperation. "You may be a whiz at ordinary puzzles, but even you wouldn't be able to solve this one. The Millennium Puzzle is beyond human understanding, Yuugi." The look on Sugoroku's face was the look of someone who'd repeated himself hundreds of times and been brushed off each and every one of those times. Likely because that's exactly what had happened. And once again, his words were ignored. He sighed.

_ Looks like it's time for a history lesson on the Puzzle. Again_. Sugoroku thought. _ Well, here we go. _ He cleared his throat.

"You know, Yuugi, there's quite a history behind the Millennium Puzzle."

Yuugi gave the same long-suffering look to his grandfather as Sugoroku had given him. Nevertheless, he carried out his part of the "play" that was the history lesson on his Puzzle, a lesson which at this point had become something of a tradition for the two of them.

"A history?" He said his line. Sugoroku nodded.

"Mhm. An excavation team found the Millennium Puzzle in Egypt, deep inside a Pharaoh's tomb in the Valley of the Kings. However, out of the handful of people on the excavation team that went in, only one lived to bring the Puzzle back to the surface. It was said that several other teams had already gone in but never came out.

"Since then, one by one, every person to have the Millennium Puzzle in their possession and not treat it with the proper respect has mysteriously ended up dead. Including the one member of the excavation team to make it back out. Soon after he left the tomb, he joined his comrades in death. With his last breath, he screamed two words…" Sugoroku tilted his head down in a way that cast darkness across his features. "_Shadow Game_…"

Despite the ominous nature of the story, Yuugi had to stifle a laugh at the man's dramatic acting and narration. This was definitely where he'd gotten his own inner narration skills from.

"Shadow Game? Wow…" he dutifully said. Sugoroku nodded again, humming a confirmation and leaning over to point at the puzzle box.

"Look at the symbols carved here. They read, 'the one who solves me will receive my dark knowledge and power.'" 

"I see!" Yuugi said. Then he decided to take the "play" in a direction it hadn't gone before. A little smile crossed his face, one that held the tiny spark of mischief he'd inherited from his grandfather. "'Dark knowledge and power,' huh? I guess my wish _ will _ come true! Now I'm _ definitely _going to finish it!"

Yuugi gave his best evil cackle, which, in Sugoroku's opinion, didn't sound so much diabolical as adorable. Still, the man put on a frown of mock-indignation and exclaimed, "Stop, fiend! I'll not let you unleash the powers of darkness! Besides, that's a treasure, you know. Give it to me!"

With speed surprising for a man of his age, Sugoroku made to swipe it from Yuugi's hands, but Yuugi had his youth on his side and zipped out of reach before the golden box could be taken from him.

"No! You just want to sell it!" He said, already having scurried around the tea table and started up the stairs by the time Sugoroku could try making another attempt at catching him. Yuugi called down to him from the top of the stairs.

"And anyway, whatever happened to treating the Puzzle with respect?" He dashed to his room to sequester himself inside. Just before the door closed all the way, Sugoroku caught the wide, giddy smile that split Yuugi's face.

Brushing the back of his hand against his forehead, he let out a long sigh.

_ I'm getting too old for this_, the rather cliché thought came to him, but a large smile had broken out on his own face. He hadn't seen Yuugi wear that expression in far too long. It was good to see he could still smile that way.

* * *

As Sugoroku was heading to bed later that night, he glanced at the strip of light that spilled out into the hall from underneath the door to Yuugi's room. He stopped just outside the door when he heard soft metallic _ clinks _coming from within. The sound brought his thoughts to both his grandson and the golden puzzle the boy was so enamored with.

It had been eight years now, Sugoroku reflected, since he had walked into the storage closet to find Yuugi playing with the artifact.

_ Has it really been that long? _ He wondered, shaking his head as he listened to the soft _ clinks _ coming from the other side of the door. _ And he's still at it; that boy just doesn't give up! _ With a quiet snort of amusement, Sugoroku thought, _ He doesn't even need the crazy hair; that stubbornness alone is enough to tell people he's my grandson. _

A short time later there was one final _ click_, followed by a quiet, muffled _ thud_, then silence. Sugoroku carefully eased the door open and peaked inside. His eyes fell on the figure slouched at the wooden desk beneath the skylight. Hearing the light snores that drifted from the figure, the man stepped through the doorway and approached the desk. He came to a stop beside it.

There, in all his rumpled, unconscious glory, was Yuugi, his eyelids closed but fluttering with dreams, hair poking out in even wilder directions than normal, and mouth open just enough to let out his soft snores and a thin line of drool that had begun to trail onto the surface of his desk.

Once again, Yuugi had fallen asleep while working on the Puzzle. There was even a golden puzzle piece still clutched in one hand. The old man clicked his tongue quietly as he eyed the uncomfortable-looking chair and the odd angle the other's neck was bent at. Young or not, the boy was going to wake up very sore tomorrow if he slept like that.

Sugoroku slid the puzzle piece out of the sleeping teen's fingers and placed it back in its case, then reached over and pulled the bedspread down. Returning to Yuugi's side, he gripped him under the arms and gave a few gentle, upward tugs.

"Alright, Yuugi. Let's get you to bed."

"Mmphrmph…" Yuugi protested.

"I know, I know." Sugoroku said sympathetically.

Still mostly asleep, the boy woke just enough to rise from his seat with his grandfather's help, shuffle the four feet from there to his bed, and collapse on top of the sheets.

Sugoroku pulled the covers up to Yuugi's chin, tucking them around his grandson. If the teenager had been truly awake, his face would've been colored red by a blush of mortification, and he would have been protesting the actions, claiming that his grandpa was treating him like he was still a little kid. _ ("Stop it, Jii-chan! I'm in _ high school!"_) _

But he wasn't truly awake, and so the only thing he did was snuggle deeper into the blanket and mumble a brief, nonsensical "auto-thanks," as Sugoroku had taken to calling the things: a result of deeply-ingrained good manners rather than any genuine gratitude (or awareness). Chuckling softly, the old man replied anyway.

"You're welcome, my boy." Yuugi's mouth twitched upward at the edges, a motion mimicked by his grandfather as he turned to leave.

Shuffling down the hall towards his own room, Sugoroku allowed his previous musings to continue.

Yuugi and the Millennium Puzzle. The words "unstoppable force meets immovable object" came to his mind. Or, as the case was here, "undeterrable boy meets unsolvable puzzle." He couldn't stop himself from grinning. A second later, the grin slipped when something else came to his mind.

_ "The one who solves me will receive my dark knowledge and power."_ Those were the words written on the outside of the Millennium Puzzle's box, the promise made to the winner.

Sugoroku had seen too much during his own time as an archaeologist to doubt that those words were true.

It was a good thing the artifact so far appeared to be unsolvable. "Dark knowledge and power" in the hands of anyone was a terrifying thought. In his mind's eye he saw the small teenager, once again sleeping at his desk after the millionth tiring session of working on the puzzle, and Sugoroku shuddered to think of what would become of someone as pure-hearted and kind as Yuugi, should such darkness be introduced to them.

It was definitely for the best that his grandson wasn't able to solve it.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Reckoning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, here we go. Buckle your seatbelts, everyone.

The next day, Yuugi was once again sitting by himself at his desk while his peers headed for the door to spend the well-deserved break outside. Pulling a deck of standard playing cards from his backpack, he began to assemble a house of cards on top of his desk, his nimble fingers and years of practice allowing him to quickly finish the base layer. He soon became engrossed in the task, his eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Yuugi-kun."

He jumped as a deep voice coming from behind brought him back to reality when he was about halfway through the third layer. The motion caused his hand to push the end of the base layer, and the entire house of cards wobbled and tilted before folding on itself, collapsing in a pile while several cards fluttered to the floor. He released a quiet sigh, shoulders slumping a little. Inwardly cursing his seeming inability to suppress his flinches, he turned to face whoever had spoken.

"Yes?" He said politely. His eyes widened when he saw who it was.

Ushio stood a few feet behind Yuugi, having come in through the door at the back of the classroom and walked up behind him while he was too preoccupied to notice. Normally he was quite alert to his surroundings. He had to be, what with the plethora of irremovable "kick me!" signs that were evidently plastered across his entire body and stitched into every article of clothing he owned.

But this time, he hadn't had the slightest suspicion that anyone had even entered the room, let alone gotten so close to him. Yuugi's heart jolted at the thought of how the scenario could have played out, and he berated himself for his carelessness.

What if instead of Ushio-san, it was somebody who wanted to hurt me? Thankfully, it was the head of the public moral group who had sought him out, and not someone with ill intent. 

"Could I see you for a moment?" The large hall monitor asked, jerking his head slightly towards the door. "There's something outside I want to show you."

"Oh, um, okay," Yuugi said, standing quickly.

The short teen had to speed walk to keep pace with Ushio as he was led out of the room, and two worries prickled in the back of his mind. The first was that following someone who said they wanted to show him something "over there" or "behind the school" or other similar phrases usually ended up with him being beaten up. The second was that he was leaving his cards scattered across the floor and desk where they could be damaged or stolen.

The responses he came up with for those worries were, first: Ushio was a protector, and wouldn't trick him like others had (even if Yuugi did for some silly reason feel distinctly uncomfortable around him) and second: whatever the older teen had to show him had to be more important than a cheap pack of playing cards.

Once outside the school, they began heading for what Yuugi knew to be a secluded area. He grew more uncomfortable, and couldn't help but quietly ask, "Ushio-san… what do you want to show me?"

"Just come with me. It's something I'm sure you'll like."

Warning bells started going off in Yuugi's head at the vague response, but he only swallowed nervously and tried not to let himself fall farther behind. They rounded one last corner, and Yuugi gasped, almost tripping over his own feet as he came to a halt.

Sprawled across the ground were Honda-kun and Jounouchi-kun, both of them slumped against the wall and sporting numerous bruises and scrapes. The former seemed to be unconscious, and the latter's face was scrunched up in pain.

"Jounouchi-kun! Honda-kun!" Without thinking, Yuugi rushed towards them. Suddenly, his path was blocked by an enormous arm, and he was forced to stop.

"So, what do you think, Yuugi-kun?" Ushio asked.

Yuugi looked up at him with wide eyes, and his response came out in a stutter. "What is… w-what did you…?"

"I told you, Yuugi-kun. From now on, I'm your bodyguard." The other said. He nodded his head towards the two teens on the ground. "That's why I've been punishing these bullies; they needed to be taught a lesson. One they wouldn't forget."

Yuugi began to shake his head. "But th-that's… Ushio-san, this is just too horrible!" He looked at his injured classmates and worriedly asked, "Are you okay, Jounouchi-kun? Honda-kun?"

"Yuugi…" Jounouchi cast him a glare that smoldered with hate and spat out some bloodied saliva, which landed a few inches from Yuugi's shoes. "Well?" He said, gritting his teeth and trying not to wince in pain. "Are you s-satisfied now…?"

Yuugi sucked in a breath. "You-you've got it all wrong!" He denied fervently. "I would never ask for such a horrible thing!"

Ushio chose then to interrupt.

"Stand back, Yuugi-kun." He "nudged" the boy aside, and Yuugi very nearly tumbled to the ground from the force. "I'm not done teaching them their lesson yet." Almost casually, he thrust his foot into Jounouchi's ribs. The blonde let out a choked yelp as the air was forced from his lungs, hunching in on himself.

Yuugi gasped, horrified, and rushed in between Ushio and Jounouchi before the taller could kick his wounded classmate again. Facing Ushio and spreading his arms wide as if the small limbs could provide any resistance, he desperately shouted, "Stop it!"

A bewildered expression crossed the older teen's face for a second. Then the look became one of slight amusement. "Are you covering for these two, Yuugi-kun?" There was silence for a moment, Yuugi not knowing how to respond, before Ushio gave a short chuckle.

"You sure are a strange one." He remarked with an amused expression. "Come on. This is your chance to take out any resentment you have for them. For once, they're the ones on the ground and at your mercy, instead of the other way around. Go ahead! Punch them! Kick them!"

"I could never do that to my friends!" Yuugi shouted, hands curled into little fists at his sides and eyes squeezed shut. Booming laughter caused them to fly back open.

"Friends, huh?" Ushio said between chuckles. "Is that what they're calling them now? I was under the impression people like them were called bullies."

"They weren't bullying me," Yuugi argued weakly, but a slight tremor in his voice gave away his uncertainty. "They just wanted me to be a man. Jounouchi-kun said so." He looked at the ground and shuffled his feet.

Ushio stared at the younger teen like he was delusional, but conceded, "Alright, if that's what you want to believe, fine." Then his posture shifted, and Yuugi stiffened, already sensing that something unpleasant was going to happen. "By the way, kid, it's about time for you to pay up." Ushio said. Yuugi's head snapped up to look at him in surprise, both at what he'd said and at the way he'd said it. "Bodyguards _ do _charge fees, you know. I'd say two hundred thousand yen is a fair trade for my top of the line services, wouldn't you agree?"

"_ Two hundred thousand yen _?!" Yuugi squeaked, eyes wide in sheer disbelieving astonishment.

Ushio just hummed in affirmation and nodded, seemingly unaware of the smaller teen's reaction. "I'll need to collect that _ really _ soon. But you seem like the honest type, so I'm sure you would _ never _ try and get out of paying the proper amount, would you?" He asked. The tone of false kindness in his voice was so convincing it was horrifying now that Yuugi had seen his true colors, and the younger boy could only stare at him, speechless. Ushio gave a "comforting" smile.

"Hey, what's with that look? There's no need to worry. All you have to do is be a good boy and have that money ready for me by the next time I see you and everything will be just fine."

* * *

Lightly trembling fingers gripped golden puzzle pieces, attempting to fit them together and being hindered slightly by the jerkiness of the movements.

What was he going to do? Ushio-san was asking for two hundred thousand yen! _ Two hundred thousand! No one _ had that kind of money just lying around waiting to be blown, at least not as far as he knew. And even if there were some people who did, _ he _certainly wasn't one of them! Yuugi glanced at his shaking hands and scoffed.

_ What am I doing? _ He thought, lips twitching downwards in a half-scowl. _ How can I be working on the Puzzle at a time like this? _

The teenager studied the shiny clump in his grasp, and his frown let up a bit at what he saw. His brow furrowed, this time in thoughtful consideration rather than worry. 

_ But… I _ am _ making more progress than usual. _

He hesitantly allowed his fingers to start working with the pieces again. The familiar actions soothed his nerves just a little, and soon his fingers were moving mostly on autopilot as he settled into a state of contemplation.

  
  
It was strange; his body felt absolutely terrible, and Ushio's threat loomed constantly at the back of his mind, but at the same time, a sense of empowerment had settled over him. For the first time in his memory, he actually felt like he could accomplish anything he wanted to. And right now, he wanted to solve the Millennium Puzzle.

  
  
Despite this rare bout of confidence, he was still astonished when he focused back on the Puzzle and realized it was nearly three quarters of the way complete. He'd never gotten much more than a third of the way through before! Heart-rate accelerating, he allowed his hands to move however they wished, and watched in awe as the puzzle that had confounded him for the past eight years came together before his very eyes, taking the shape of a miniature golden pyramid.

  
  
Finally, the last corner of the Puzzle locked into place. Yuugi turned the artifact over in his hands, and noted that the final gap left in the artifact was the shape of his favorite piece: the one with the beautifully intricate yet imposing eye. All he had to do was connect the final piece, and he would be the first person to have ever completed the mystical puzzle. Barely daring to breathe and unable to take his eyes off the pyramid, he blindly reached into the puzzle box and grasped…

  
  
…nothing?

  
  
He brushed his fingers around the inside corners of the box, but the feeling of the last puzzle piece continued to elude him. Finally looking away from the artifact, he pulled the golden case closer to him and peered inside. Something gripped his insides and twisted them harshly when he looked down and saw that the box that had held all the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle was completely empty. Yuugi slowly rose from his chair and took a step back.

  
  
"No…"

  
  
He shook his head in denial. This couldn't be happening! He'd held that piece in his hands only yesterday. It couldn't just be gone! He quickly dropped to all fours, crouching to look under his bed, behind his nightstand, beneath his desk, in the tiny crack between his bookcase and the bedroom wall. It wasn't anywhere in his room! There was only one other place he could think of where he might have lost it: at school.

  
  
(He refused to consider the possibility that he had somehow dropped it on the way back home, where it was about ten times more likely to have been found and pocketed by a random stranger.)

  
  
His mind made up, he stood and glanced back down at the golden objects on his desk. Without that piece, the Puzzle would remain incomplete, and his wish would never come true.

He snatched his book bag from the floor, almost tossing the puzzle box and nearly complete Millennium Puzzle into it but catching himself just in time to prevent any potential damage and gently slid the items in instead. He paused just long enough to stuff his feet into his shoes before dashing through the apartment and out the door.

_ Please be at school! _ He silently begged the missing piece as he practically flew down the sidewalk.

* * *

"Like I said, we don't know what's really going on in his head." Honda said, hands stuffed into his pockets as he walked alongside a canal that ran parallel to one edge of the school. Jounouchi skulked along a few steps behind him. The blonde had finally managed to rouse him a few minutes ago, and was relieved that his friend hadn't shown any sign of being concussed – nothing that Jounouchi could see, at least.

The relief soon turned to irritation, though, the many bruises, scrapes, and blows to his pride putting him in a foul mood that he had yet to come out of.

  
Jounouchi scowled at the back of Honda's head, the other teen's words annoying him. He kicked a small pebble he came across, and it missed hitting Honda in the leg by a few inches. Biting back a curse, he replied, "You didn't say that, _ I _ did."

Honda frowned in confusion. "Really? I could've sworn it was me. Are you sure I didn't say it?"

"Positive."

"Huh." The brunette scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I was _ thinking _ it pretty hard."(1) Ignoring Jounouchi's responding scoff, Honda continued talking. At the same moment, Jounouchi noticed the section of the canal they were about to walk by, and found it harder to focus on his friend's words as another voice echoed in his mind.

_ 'I could never do that to my friends!' _

Honda hadn't been awake to hear Yuugi say those words. Nor had he seen the way that the smaller teen's body had shaken with fear while he stood as a shield between his classmates and a giant. But Jounouchi _ had _, and he finally gave up holding onto his flimsy excuses for distrusting Yuugi, instead remembering the other's actions with disbelief and the unwanted guilt he'd been trying to ignore.

Jounouchi was a skilled street fighter, and Honda wasn't too bad himself. Whether they were protecting someone or not, they could hold their own against an opponent far better than the shorter boy could. But that was just it: aside from yesterday and a handful of times when they were younger, the duo _ could _ keep themselves from being too badly injured. Yuugi knew full well that he had no chance against Ushio; that the extortionist could easily crush him. And he had stepped between them anyway. A mouse going up against a lion for the sake of two injured wolves.

Jounouchi had always thought of as Yuugi a little wimp, and had accused him of it on several occasions. The "little" part may have been true, but he could see now that beneath the timidity, at his core, Yuugi was far from being a wimp.

Reevaluating his previous interactions with him, Jounouchi now realized that his treatment of the smaller teen was completely uncalled for. Besides the fact that he could be brave when he truly set his mind to it (and therefore had no need of the blonde's 'lessons') there was also the fact that Jounouchi hadn't given those lessons solely – or even mostly – for Yuugi's benefit. More than half of his motivation for doing so was that messing with him had felt… fun.

He thought about the helplessness and humiliation he'd felt when he and his friend were so easily beaten down. The blow to his pride had hurt just as much as the blows to his body, if not more. Other than a few little pushes, shoves, and that one accidental textbook incident on their third day of class, neither he nor Honda had ever laid a hand on Yuugi. But if he'd felt anything close to the amount of helplessness that Jounouchi had been feeling, the fact that the two of them hadn't physically abused the smaller teen didn't mean nearly as much as he'd thought it did.

He looked at the canal and pictured Yuugi's eye puzzle piece sinking to the bottom of it. The water was moving slowly enough that it couldn't have swept away something as heavy as that piece of metal, so the thing should still be directly under the window he'd tossed it out of…

His mind now made up, he stepped towards the concrete barrier that divided the blacktop from the sudden drop into the canal.

"-eautification club member, I- are you even listening to me?" Honda interrupted himself as he finally noticed that the other teen had stopped following him. He turned back to scowl at his friend. Then he saw Jounouchi climbing onto the barrier, and the brunette shouted wordlessly and sprinted towards him as he jumped over the edge. 

* * *

By the time the school was within sight, Yuugi was panting heavily, his lungs and leg muscles burning and a stitch forming in his side. The only thing that had kept him from taking a break or at least slowing to a walk halfway there was his brain constantly reminding him that he needed to get that last puzzle piece.

As he drew closer, he was relieved to see that the gates were still open. Hopefully that meant that the school doors hadn't been locked yet, either. Ignoring the continually worsening pain from the stitch in his side, he rushed past the gates and headed for the building.

He had almost reached his goal when a deep, familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Hey, Yuugi."

Yuugi breathed in sharply, his eyes snapping away from the front doors of the school and towards a large figure that was both unexpected and fear-inducing.

"U-Ushio-san…" he responded in a hushed voice.

"So, you showed up after all. To be honest I hadn't really been expecting that you would. Good boy." Ushio stepped out from where he'd been standing in a long shadow. "I'm guessing you brought the money for my bodyguard services then, right?"

Yuugi's eyes widened. "N-no, I just left something at school and came to pick it up," he said, and his eyes flicked timidly to the ground, unable to hold the other's gaze. "…a-and anyway, I can't pay you; I… I don't have enough money…" he said quietly, almost whispering.

"I see," Ushio said blandly, raising one bushy eyebrow. Then he closed his eyes and heaved an exaggerated sigh before crossing his arms in front of his chest. "So you didn't bring it, huh?" He tsked and shook his head from side to side with an expression of mock sadness. "And here I was thinking you were a good, honest guy."

When he re-opened his eyes, he took another couple of steps toward Yuugi, making the difference in their sizes even more pronounced. His huge frame towered over Yuugi's little one, and the boy tried his best not to cower before him. His feeble attempts at standing up straight (if not tall) were dashed to pieces and rendered useless upon hearing Ushio's next words:

"It looks like you need someone to re-educate you. Luckily, you've got someone right here who's willing to do the job."

The enormous teen's narrowed eyes now looked sharp and dangerous as they bored into the wide amethyst ones of his prey.

Yuugi could only stare up at him with those wide eyes while his heart pattered frantically inside his rib cage. He became frozen like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car, his knees locking as his body started to tremble in fear.

* * *

"Aha, I found it!" Jounouchi shouted, proudly holding the puzzle piece up in the air with such elation he barely noticed the way the canal water soaking the sleeve of his school uniform began to trickle back the opposite direction, running along his skin in an irritating manner; it didn't really matter anyway, since he was already sopping wet. Instead he continued to crow triumphantly up at an amused Honda.

"Ha, I-!" He cut himself off with a noise that was definitely _ not _a yelp when his vision was suddenly obstructed by something that had managed to land right on his upturned head. He quickly snatched the offending object from his face and found, to his surprise, that it was a dish towel.

"As a beautification club member, I commonly handle dirty objects." Honda explained at the other teen's puzzled expression as said teen looked up at him. Then he smirked lightly. "You owe me a new towel, by the way."

Jounouchi spluttered indignantly before regaining his ability to speak. "What did you say?!" He demanded, then growled and shook his fist angrily at Honda with the self-proclaimed beautification club member's towel still clenched between his now white-knuckled fingers. "You cheapskate! Why, I oughta-!"

Honda watched with a slightly mischievous grin on his face while the blonde ranted at him from down in the canal. Preoccupied with his amusement, he almost missed the colorful blur in his peripheral vision. He instinctively turned his head to figure out what it was, and the smile fell from his face. A smug looking Ushio had a huge hand on Yuugi's back and was using it to herd him behind the school.

Having cleaned the place himself, Honda knew that there was a secluded strip of asphalt between a chain link fence and a wall at the back of the building. He also knew that there were no security cameras back there. It was the school's very own back alley. Even from where he stood, Honda could make out the expression of dread on his short classmate's face as he was led away.

"Jounouchi." He interrupted the other boy, and something in his tone made the blonde halt his tirade.

"What is it now?" He huffed, though caution now peeked through in his words.

"Well…"

* * *

Ushio swung his foot into Yuugi's gut, and the boy let out a pained, choked whimper, collapsing as the air was forced from him again. He stayed sprawled on the ground, too busy struggling to pull oxygen into his lungs to really notice or care much about the dirt and gravel that was being ground into his cheek and getting into his gaping, gasping mouth.

Yuugi wasn't sure how long he laid there, curled up on the ground as huge fists and boots rained down on him, but by the time Ushio decided that he had been sufficiently beaten, the small teen was only half-conscious, delirious from pain and from having taken more than one blow to the head.

Ushio gave him one last kick, this time in the shoulder to flip him face down, and took a step back to inspect his work. He gave a satisfied grunt at the sight of the thoroughly pummeled boy.

"I think that's enough for today," Ushio stated before turning to leave. He began to stroll away at a sedate, casual pace as though nothing had happened. Yuugi distantly felt a sense of relief under all of his aches and pains. Then his brain reminded him of the words "for today," and his dread immediately returned. At the same time, Ushio paused before lazily turning his head halfway back towards Yuugi.

"Tomorrow we'll see if I've successfully re-educated you. If you haven't brought me the money by the end of tomorrow, I'll have to assume that I need to be firmer in handling your education." He said, then resumed walking.

Yuugi continued to lay nearly face down on the ground, dragging in shallow, ragged breaths while pain shot through his body and pounded in his head. Then Ushio's words registered to him and joined the percussion performance in his skull, and his already hurting chest was aggravated by the squeezing grip of dread as he thought of the consequences he knew would result from his inability to comply with the enormous hall monitor's impossible demands. A few tears of despair escaped and he didn't bother trying to stop them, letting them trickle sideways down his face, where they left trails of salt water that stung the abused skin of his scraped cheek and bloodied nose.

_ Firmer handling? _ Ushio had already "handled" him so "firmly" he could barely move. Sure, Yuugi had taken beatings before, and quite a few of them at that, but he could count on one hand the number of times those beatings had ever been this bad and still have four fingers left over.

But the worst part was that Ushio didn't seem to understand the full extent of how badly he had injured Yuugi, otherwise he wouldn't have gone as far as he did; after all, how was Yuugi supposed to pay him if he couldn't even move? And if the man didn't know how bad it had been this time, he also wouldn't know just what an even harder beating would do to the boy.

He seemed to have easily taken out Honda-kun and Jounouchi-kun (and Yuugi was pretty sure the man had done it on his own without help, as a demonstration for the students who were also in the "public moral" group, since they hadn't looked like they were doing anything other than watch).

Ushio was huge and possessed an abnormal level of strength, and he was well aware of both of these things, but since he was used to being at least a head taller than anyone else around him, he had failed to take into account that his current victim was even smaller than any of the others.

The dread gripping Yuugi's heart squeezed even harder when he realized that there was a very real possibility that with Ushio's next "lesson," he would either be landed in the hospital or…

_ …Or dead. _

Heedless of the deep aches and sharp pains that both and lingered in his bones and throbbed in time with his pulse, his muscles bunched up without his consent as he quivered in fear, the strain adding to the agony he was already feeling.

The slapping of sneakers on asphalt pulled him from his panicked thoughts and allowed his tense muscles to slacken, leaving him lying once again in a boneless heap. The noise grew louder and soon he could hear heavy panting as well. Then the sound of noisy, hurried footsteps came to a stop, and there were two loud gasps coming from a few feet away from him. For a moment after that there was silence, save for the sound of muted breathing from whoever had run up to him; then he heard a familiar voice shout, "Hey, you! What do you think you're doing?!"

_ Jounouchi-kun? Why is he here? _ Yuugi wondered. Another thought sluggishly followed: _ Why is he so upset? _

"Huh. It's you bullies again." Ushio commented blandly from the opposite side of his victim's prone form. 

Jounouchi, who had been glaring at the hall monitor/extortionist, ignored the comment and turned from Ushio to Yuugi, and the scowl on his face was quickly dropped and replaced with an expression of worry. His small classmate looked like he was in really bad shape.

"Yuugi!"

He rushed to the other boy's side and fell to his knees beside him, reaching out to help before pausing with his hands hovering uncertainly when he realized he had no idea what he could do without further injuring him, hating his powerlessness in this situation. "Just, just hold on, okay?" he said as he finally resigned himself to not being able to do anything else for the boy.

The blonde haired teenager lifted his head to glower at the man who was still standing nearby and watching the scene, calmly. He gave a low growl before opening his mouth and letting loose a torrent of rather creative curses that would've made a sailor blush.

Yuugi twitched and a small noise left his lips when he heard his classmate's voice. Jounouchi immediately shut off his flow of cussing to look down at him in concern, waiting for the other boy to do something else. Yuugi didn't open his eyes or move or make any more noises. After several seconds though, he whispered, "I… I asked the puzzle… f-for true friends…"

He wasn't completely aware of what was going on anymore, but for some reason he wanted to tell the blonde teenager of his wish, the one wish he'd never said aloud to anyone but himself.

Jounouchi's breath hitched slightly and he glanced over at the nearly-completed puzzle sitting on the flap of Yuugi's open and spilled book-bag. He quickly dug through his pocket until he found what he wanted and pulled it out, turning back to the other teen. He carefully uncurled Yuugi's fingers, which he had been clenching against the pain of his injuries, and slipped the item into the palm of the much smaller hand before gently encouraging the other boy to wrap his fingers around it. Jounouchi closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Ushio…" he muttered quietly, his voice shaking faintly with barely-repressed anger. He opened his eyes and looked back up at the man who was supposed to be a protector for people like the boy who was now laying severely injured on the ground. He stood.

"Even after you beat up me and Honda, I still respected you, 'cause I thought you were only trying to stand up for a guy who seemed like he needed help…" The flimsy façade of calm dropped from Jounouchi's face and voice as he gestured at the bruised, bloodied teen near his feet and shouted, "But now, _ any _ respect I ever had for you is _ gone! _ And I'm _ not _ gonna let this slide!"

At the blonde's side, Honda curled his hands into fists and nodded firmly in agreement. Both of them were tense and ready for a fight. Ushio just raised a brow again.

"Oh? And I suppose you think the fact that there are two of you and only one of me means you're going to win?" He sounded amused.

Rather than responding, Jounouchi gave a wordless shout of anger and charged his large opponent, Honda right behind him with his own angry cry.

It didn't take long for Honda to be beaten down, and though Jounouchi managed to last a bit longer against their huge adversary, he was soon laying on the ground unconscious as well.

"You should have known better than to try taking me on," Ushio addressed his defeated and unconscious opponents, "Because this is what happens to those who defy me; remember that!" He laughed as he walked away.

Yuugi, hearing the deep voice and noticing that the sounds of fighting had ceased, cracked his eyes open and dragged his uncooperative mind further into the waking world, not relenting until he managed to lift his head off the ground and shift his upper body enough to look in the direction the sound of Ushio's retreating footsteps was coming from. A mere five feet from him were the unconscious bodies of the classmates who had come to his aid, only to be beaten and knocked out as well for trying to help.

"Jounouchi-kun… Honda-kun…" Yuugi croaked, staring at them in wonder and slight disbelief. Neither of them moved. Fear for the two coursed through him and lent him enough strength to cry out to them. "Jounouchi-kun! Honda-kun!"

He struggled to lift his upper body using his elbows as leverage, but even with the extra adrenaline, the exhausted muscles of his arms only tensed and quivered, lifting his torso a few inches higher before giving out on him. He wheezed as he roughly met the ground and the air was forced from his lungs, leaving them feeling like overused balloons. Tears pricked at his eyes again. He would never be able to wake the two other teens, or even check on them, with his own body rebelling against any attempt he made to move towards them.

Darkness tugged at the edges of his vision, beckoning him to retreat into blissful unconsciousness. Just as he closed his eyes and was about to give in to the tempting pull, he noticed the weight of a small object in his hand, something heavy for its size. He faintly remembered Jounouchi pressing it into his palm before he and Honda went after Ushio. Now that he was more concentrated on it, he realized its shape, texture and even weight all felt very familiar.

There was no doubt about it: the object in his hand was the final piece of the Millennium Puzzle. Even with his thoughts as fuzzy and clouded as they were, a faded sort of shock settled over him at the realization.

He uncurled his hand and cracked his eyelids open to look at the last puzzle piece, and the carving of a familiar eye stared back at him. The gleam that reflected off of its smooth surface was almost too bright to be natural by the meager light provided by the waning sunset. Something else was shining nearby as well, and he shifted his gaze towards it.

His open book bag rested a few feet away, its contents spilled across the ground. Only one thing among those contents caught his attention, and that was the miniature gold pyramid, finished save for the one piece he was still holding. The pyramid was no more than six inches from the hand that held that piece. His weary mind stuttered to a halt. Then the last glimmer of sunset died completely, and a nearby security light flickered on. The change brought him out of his trance, and when his brain whirred back to life, all his troubles suddenly felt so far away.

Never mind the fact that he would probably be getting the worst beating of his life tomorrow; all he could focus on was that his wish was finally going to come true. In his concussed state, he had even forgotten about his classmates for the time being, something that he normally would have never done.

Right now, all that existed were the Millennium Puzzle, the dream that was so close to being a reality, and the final piece of gold sitting in his hand. He reached out towards the Puzzle, barely flinching at the pain, and fumbled for a bit while he shifted the object in his hand to the correct angle. Trembling in exhaustion from the small movements, he could barely keep his eyelids open as he pushed the piece into place.

A blinding light flared from the eye of the Puzzle in the same moment the artifact finally became whole, and Yuugi's eyes widened in shock. Then a beam of the same light burst from the golden pyramid, heading straight for him. It collided with his forehead almost like a physical thing, first touching the skin before continuing onward. Streams of searing gold flooded his mind, smothering him in a torrent of sensations and quickly building up and expanding inside of him.

Before long he felt as though he were being compacted, being crushed by the foreign energy that just wouldn't stop shoving its way into his head, and soon the mental agony far overshadowed even the pain his body was in. His mouth opened in a mute scream that lasted barely a second before a large shadow shot out of the Puzzle to join the gold that was being crammed into his mind. Then everything became too much for him to handle. His eyes rolled back before sliding closed and he collapsed, gratefully surrendering to the pull of unconsciousness.

Not five seconds later, his eyes snapped back open. However, they were no longer kind and expressively large. This time, they were harsh, angular, and devoid of any compassion. They were not the eyes of a shy, quiet high school student. The pupils immediately shrank to pinpricks upon being exposed to the glare of the security light, but quickly grew as they got used to it. They expanded and contracted at an inhuman rate while they adjusted, making them appear almost avian. The irises, rather than being their normal color – a soft, pleasant shade of lilac – were a disturbing mixture of blackish red and a bright scarlet that seemed to dance like flames. A thin layer of golden energy glowed on the surface. 

The eyes blinked. The gold gradually died away, leaving only a faint glow that would have been undetectable were it daytime. The scarlet flames began to calm and blend with the darker red, mixing until they were almost indistinct from each other. The resulting hue perfectly matched that of freshly spilled blood. 

Memories slowly trickled back into the spirit's mind, and with those memories rose a feeling of fury that swelled inside a bruised and battered chest, numbing the pain to a degree and granting strength to tired limbs.

Yuugi's nose wrinkled and his lips were pulled back into a snarl. The eyes that both were and weren't Yuugi's narrowed dangerously. Then they seemed to ignite. The two colors of red separated themselves again, scarlet flicking even more wildly over dark crimson, and the sparks of gold flared back to life. This time, though, they didn't stop there. The gold blazed even brighter until all of the surroundings were lit in a brilliant white light. The bulb in the dull security light shattered with a loud _ pop! _ and a host of irritating _ clinks _.

When the energy settled down from white back to gold, it had congregated in the center of his forehead in the shape of a third eye, which burned with the same intensity as the other two.

Yuugi's body turned in the direction that Ushio had gone, and all three eyes glared out into the night, their vision remaining perfectly intact even in the dark. The entity took a step forward before suddenly halting. His eyes flicked back to the ground. Yuugi's two classmates were still laying there a few paces in front of him, out cold.

The entity in Yuugi's body regarded them distractedly and impatiently for a moment, his golden eye piercing their unconscious minds and examining some of their most recent thoughts. Satisfied with what he'd found, he withdrew his power from their minds, careful not to cause any damage.

He summoned a few of his Shadows and ordered them to transport the teenagers to somewhere they wouldn't be disturbed before they woke. He firmly commanded them not to harm the boys in any way. The Shadows complied, perfectly happy for once to help mostly unfamiliar humans. This was a special case, after all; the two had just tried to defend their master's Light.

With all else taken care of, the spirit was free to go after his target, and he did so without hesitation.

Shadows slunk across the walls and slithered along the ground, following the enraged figure as he stalked silently through the dark. Each one eagerly anticipated the moment they would finally receive another naughty mortal that they could play with. Despite their enthusiasm, they obediently stayed a single stride behind their master. He was more angry than he had been in a long time, and they knew he would not hesitate to take out his rage on them should they disobey. Although it evoked caution, their master's intense anger also excited them. If they were right in their assumptions, this time he would probably let them play to their hearts' content.

Deep inside his mind, Yuugi continued to rest obliviously in the merciful arms of unconsciousness.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter 4 artwork 01](http://drive.google.com/file/d/1VSo27ZrSDf_pCRKKYi7beds2ac9c625a/view?usp=sharing)
> 
> My story 'Unleash the Beast' is a continuation of this chapter from the Puzzle Spirit's perspective.
> 
> [Unleash the Beast artwork 01](http://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jb7I6MC0vtM1hxjeqg66p3JbypWRkPHI/view?usp=sharing)


	5. After

When Yuugi awoke, he was in his own bed with no memory of how he'd gotten there. Nor, he realized when he felt the discomfort of aching joints and a plethora of cuts and bruises, could he remember how he had come to be so injured.

He opened his eyes a crack and grimaced; the dim light of the early morning was much harsher on his sight than it normally was, and the headache that had already manifested itself with the blaring of the alarm clock grew even worse, pounding in his temples. Mindlessly, he reached out and hit the snooze button, silencing the shrill noise and helping the slightest bit to relieve his headache. He lay still for a long moment as he gathered up the will to move. Finally he stirred.

He winced as he sat up in bed, the movement causing his ribs to ache even more than they already had been. The wince was immediately followed by a shiver. A cold, tingly sensation saturated his ribs and wrist, wrapping around his bones and seeping down into the marrow. It almost felt like there was something shifting slightly under his skin.

He suppressed another shudder and tried his best to ignore the prominent discomforts; he still had school to go to, whether he was feeling one hundred percent or not. He'd endured worse pain in the past without missing school. A slight niggling in the back of his mind said that his injuries should have been more serious than they were. That he should hardly even be able to move. He absently brushed the wisp of thought aside, barely taking note of its existence.

Reaching to pull back the covers, he noticed something else he had no recollection of receiving: various applied medical products, which were now adorning his arms. He stared down for a few seconds, uncomprehending, at the bandage on his wrist and the multitude of cheap plastic band aids that dotted his skin like litter in an alley.

For some reason – besides the fact that he, like most people, wasn't of the opinion that alley trash was all that pleasant – the comparison made him a little uncomfortable.

He deliberately pushed down the questions and confusion and worry that were building inside him at all the blanks he was drawing and all the uncertainties that were piling up, knowing that he would start to panic if he allowed himself to dwell on it.

_ First things first: go get some aspirin. _

Yuugi rose from his bed stiffly, barely holding back a wince; his head gave a particularly fierce throb, and he could almost swear he'd heard his joints creak. For a brief moment, he started to reconsider his decision to go to school, then chastised himself for the thought. Bracing himself better this time for the discomfort, he finished standing and shuffled across the carpet, out his bedroom door, down the short hall, and into the bathroom.

Yuugi flipped on the light, squinting when he was abruptly reminded that the old incandescent light bulbs in the bathroom had recently been swapped for those new energy saving ones that were way too bright. His eyes watered, and he briefly squeezed them shut before blinking rapidly to try getting rid of the moisture. After a few more moments of attempting to blink back the tears, he gave up and swiped them away with his palm. Ugh. Stupid fluorescent bulbs.

When he was finally able to keep his eyes open without being blinded, he had to do a double take. Sitting on top of the toilet lid was the well-stocked, bright red plastic first aid kit that he normally had stashed in the cabinet underneath the sink, tucked away behind the rolls of extra toilet paper so that his grandpa wouldn't have to see it very often. He used to just store it in a little open-front cupboard on the wall above the toilet, but as he'd gotten older, the beatings he received became more brutal and came more frequently, and thus seeing the first aid kit sitting in plain sight was a constant reminder to his grandpa of what his grandson was going through.

Yuugi hated the sad glances he would sometimes catch the man sending him when he thought the boy wasn't looking, and so, to keep those glances to a minimum, he had hidden the first aid kit. Now though, it was left wide open for public viewing – or at least, as public as it got in the little residence above the shop that was usually only home to two people.

But that wasn't all. Yuugi's jaw nearly dropped when he saw that a roll of gauze and the pair of medical scissors were sitting out on the counter. Barely a second later, his gaze landed on the trash bin, which had been pulled out a bit from where it normally sat in the space between the toilet and the cabinet. He had dumped that trash can two days ago, and now it was filled to the brim with band aid wrappers and squares of blood-stained toilet paper. At least a dozen of the wrappers had spilled out and were scattered across the cheap linoleum floor.

He was lucky he was usually up about ten minutes before his grandpa on weekdays. If today hadn't been a weekday, the man would have walked into the bathroom and seen the mess he'd left behind.

_ What was I _ thinking _ ? _ Yuugi asked himself incredulously, then immediately answered his own question. Obviously, he _ hadn't _been thinking.

Irrationally, he glanced around as if the man had for some reason gotten up early and somehow been hidden in the room the whole time. Once assured that he was alone, he swiftly got to work removing the evidence. He packed the scattered supplies back into their container and stowed it away back behind the toilet paper under the sink. He scooped up every band aid wrapper and square of toilet paper on the floor and stuffed them into the trash. And finally, he took a look around the room to assess its cleanliness before picking up the trash bin.  
  


He quickly and quietly tiptoed down the stairs and out the back door to avoid the bell on the front door of the shop. He carried the trash can around the side of the building and hastily emptied its contents into the dumpster, placing the lid back on before heading back inside.  
  


Not thirty seconds after he'd set the trash can back down, he heard his grandpa stirring in his bedroom. He heaved a sigh of relief, hurriedly opening the bottle of aspirin and downing two pills before stashing the first aid kit away and getting ready for school.

* * *

Upon reentering his bedroom, yet another surprise awaited him. This one was enough to bury all thoughts about the first aid kit and his injuries.

There, sitting innocently on his desk, was the Millennium Puzzle. Completed. Finished. _ Whole _.

He walked towards it slowly, feeling almost as if he were in a dream. After all this time, the artifact was fully assembled. He couldn't even bring himself to care that he couldn't remember solving it. Nearly trembling, he reached out and grasped the Puzzle. The gold was heavy in his hands, semi-cold against his skin. It was solid. It was tangible. For the first time, it all really registered in his mind. This was actually happening. It wasn't just a dream. It was real.

_ "Yuugi, are you almost ready yet? You'll need to leave soon if you want to make it to school on time!" _

Yuugi jolted as his grandpa's voice drifted up from the kitchen. He looked at the clock and realized he had been staring at the Puzzle for over fifteen minutes. Stealing one more glance at it, he quickly began to change into his school uniform, noting that there was only one left in his closet and wondering briefly where the one from yesterday had gone. Once dressed, Yuugi looked back over at the Puzzle yet again.

For some reason, he felt extremely compelled to bring it with him, almost shuddering at the thought of leaving it behind. Looking at the gold hoop on one side of the artifact and the cord strung through it, he realized the Puzzle was actually a pendant. Which meant it was supposed to be worn. If that was the case, it had to be sturdy enough to _ handle _ being worn. Still, when he lifted it up by the cord and placed it around his neck, he couldn't help but be gentle with it.

The weight of a gold item at large as the Millennium Puzzle should have been an uncomfortable burden, but it felt strangely light. Grabbing his backpack and shoving his feet into his shoes, he dashed through the house and out the front door of the shop, barely acknowledging his grandfather and forgetting all about breakfast in his rush. Somehow, the Puzzle only seemed to tap gently against his chest even as he bounded for school.

* * *

When he arrived at the front gates of the school, it was to the third shocking scene of the day. Barring his way were flashing lights, multiple police cars and officers, and a noisy crowd of students and other civilians who had gathered for the purpose of either gawking or, like Yuugi, trying to get to class.

There were no flashes of light that Yuugi could see (which wasn't saying much, considering he could barely see anything past the people directly in front of him), so it seemed that the presence of the police was enough of a deterrent that nobody was snapping pictures. There was no guarantee that it would continue to hold everyone off for long, though.

"Yuugi!"

Yuugi jumped and turned, startled by the sound of his name being called. The crowd was thinner behind him, so he could see a certain blonde haired classmate was running towards him with a rather frazzled look on his face. Yuugi frowned slightly.

"Jounouchi-kun?" He murmured quietly. Concern for the other boy went through him as he took in his rattled appearance.

Jounouchi skidded to a halt in front of him and burst out, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you! Are you alright?" Yuugi stared at him for a moment with his jaw lax and his lips parted in surprise.

"Y-yes, I'm fine, Jounouchi-kun," he stuttered, brows furrowing a bit. "But I don't understand; you… um, you were worried about me?" He backtracked quickly. "It-it's not that I'm not _ grateful, _ it's just, I don't really understand… _ why _. I mean, nothing all that eventful has happened to me recently. Or at least, nothing that would give you a reason to worry about me."

Jounouchi stared back at him incredulously, his own mouth falling open. "What d'ya mean, 'nothing that'd give me a reason to worry about you'? Did you forget what happened last night?" He asked sarcastically. "Y'know, the whole thing with Ushio? Me and Honda've been worried sick!

"We found you lying face down, not movin', with that jerk standing next to you, and you weren't moving. We tried fighting him but he managed to get the drop on us. He knocked both of us out-" (and it was a testament to just how shaken Jounouchi still was that he didn't hesitate even briefly in admitting he'd lost a two-on-one fight) "-and the next thing we knew we were waking up on the school _ roof _. The door was locked, but luckily Honda's been frickin' nuts about cleaning for a while now, and apparently he's always got his janitor keys on him at all times.

"When we got back to the alley, the security light was out, but we saw someone was still layin' on the ground. At first we thought it was you, but when we got closer we realized it was too big to be you. So by then, we were getting pretty nervous, you know? But we went over there anyway and it-" Jounouchi's voice hitched. He swallowed and shut his eyes before continuing. 

"I-It was Ushio. It was dark, so we couldn't see very well, but he looked like he'd just… _burst _open, and there were dark spots all over the wall. Honda tripped when we were trying to get outta there and we both fell and the ground was all wet and sticky and-" he cut himself off, shuddering. Yuugi listened in horror to the scene Jounouchi was describing. The blonde's eyes opened again and stared right into Yuugi's own.

"And you were _missing_! We went to that one payphone a few blocks from here, and the first thing we did was look up your number and call you, 'cause lots of the cops around here suck at everything they do and would'a held us up and been all suspicious and made us talk to them and stuff before we could go look for you. But the phone kept saying it couldn't reach your number, so then we _had _to call 'em and report what we saw.

"After we showed them the alley, they were idiots just like always and brought us in for questioning. And they held us overnight 'cause they thought we were 'suspicious' just 'cause we were also out there at night, and they just brushed us off when we told 'em you were missing!"

His frown grew and his eyebrows drew together even more than they already had been. He looked at Yuugi with an expression of imploring desperation.

"I get that you couldn't'a known about all the stuff with me and Honda after we woke up, but how can you not remember what happened before that? And where were you, anyways? How'd you get away?" Jounouchi asked. It was Yuugi's turn once again to stare silently at the other, rendered momentarily speechless.

"I-I don't… I don't know what happened… I can't remember _ any _of that… I just woke up this morning and my whole body hurt, and I didn't know why." His gaze flickered to the pavement and he furrowed his brows, distressed at his inability to recall anything about the major events Jounouchi had described. "I just, I can't…"

His breath caught in his throat as bits and pieces of scattered recollection first trickled into his mind before starting to flood it.

He remembered sitting at the desk chair in his room, fiddling with the Puzzle as he tried – unsuccessfully – to distract himself from the fact that he would never be able to pay Ushio the money he'd demanded.

He remembered the surprise he had felt at finding that he was making so much progress towards completing it, despite the terrible mood he was in.

He remembered the shock as he clicked the second to last section into place and realized that this was it, he was finally going to do it, he was finally going to put all of the pieces together in their proper place.

He remembered staring in wonder at the small golden pyramid, he had reached blindly for the last piece, only to realize that it wasn't there.

He remembered panicking and rushing out of the game shop's front door to go back to the school and look for the missing piece of gold that was all that stood between him and obtaining his desire, not offering his grandfather an explanation for his abrupt departure.

He remembered bumping into Ushio just outside the school, the terror and the urge to flee he had felt as the enormous "bodyguard" led him to a more secluded area to punish him for his supposed disobedience. 

He remembered the pain of Ushio's shoes and fists slamming into his own small body like battering rams until he could barely tell up from down.

Then there was the foggy recollection of two figures – Jounouchi-kun and Honda-kun, as he had soon realized – stepping in to defend him.

And another foggy memory, this one of wishing he could do something to help them when they too were beaten down by Ushio.

He remembered noticing that the last piece of the Puzzle had somehow gotten into his hand without him realizing it.

He remembered seeing the rest of it lying close enough for him to touch it.

He remembered reaching out in a daze to fit the final piece into place.

And then... nothing.

Nothing except waking up this morning with a bruised body and a killer headache, which for some reason seemed to be building back up really quickly all of a sudden.

Yuugi jolted when the sound of shouting abruptly reached his ears, and realized he was on his knees on the sidewalk with Jounouchi crouched in front of him and calling his name. He blinked his eyes into focus and locked his gaze with Jounouchi's, giving a dazed "huh?" in response.

The blonde sighed in relief, and someone else shifted just enough to catch Yuugi's attention. He looked up and noticed Honda hovering just behind Jounouchi, having apparently arrived some time while Yuugi had been lost in his memories.

The smaller teen released a shaky breath and attempted to shake off the vestiges of flashing images that were still swirling through his mind. Finally, he managed to focus on his two classmates again, looking between the two pairs of eyes fixed on him.

Then it dawned on Yuugi. It was true that he couldn't remember everything that had happened, and there were still so many questions left to be answered. But looking up at the concerned and protective expressions that Jounouchi-kun and Honda-kun were giving him, he realized that, for the time being at least, none of that really mattered. Yes, everything would have to be sorted out eventually – sooner rather than later if he had to guess. But right now, at this very moment, all that mattered was that his wish had come true. He had finally, _ finally _been granted the true friends he had been yearning for for so long.

"Don't worry, Jounouchi-kun, Honda-kun," Yuugi said with a small but genuine smile that crinkled the corners of his happy, twinkling eyes. "I'm sure I'll be okay. Everything is going to be okay."

(The spirit, while exhausted from the burst of power he had expended the previous night, had regained enough energy by now to once again use the boy's ears to listen in and to gaze out through his large, amethyst eyes. A twin surge of happiness rushed through his own immaterial heart. Yes. Now that he had been liberated and was free to step in and help his little Friend whenever he wanted, everything _ would _turn out alright.)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Deception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter straddles the line between the T and M ratings. The "Graphic Depictions Of Violence" tag is there for a reason, people.

School was cancelled the next two days, and on the third day, when people other than the police were allowed past the front gate, a whole section of the school was still cordoned off, and a handful of men stood watch to ensure no thrill-seekers or trouble makers crossed into the restricted areas. Multiple classrooms fell within those areas, and students in those classes had to be moved to other parts of the school, which meant that when Yuugi showed up that morning he saw quite a few faces he didn't recognize.

It also meant that the hallways were even more crammed than usual. He'd predicted they would be and had gotten to school almost twenty minutes earlier than he normally did trying to beat the crowd. Unfortunately, a good portion of the school's population had apparently made the same prediction as him.

There didn't seem to be a single individual who hadn't heard about what had happened to Ushio. Tensions were running high, everyone anxious and on edge. Though nobody was even the slightest bit talkative, the hush that had fallen over the school was broken several times by tightly wound students snapping at each other while Yuugi was making his way to class. He stayed as close as he could to the walls, hoping to avoid confrontation.

Just as he turned the second to last corner between himself and his classroom and started to believe he might actually make it there without incident, someone bumped him harshly from behind, and he was sent hurtling into another person going the opposite direction. Papers went flying, and both Yuugi and the other student fell to the ground, Yuugi with a yelp of surprise and the other with a cry of outrage.

"You stupid little twerp!" Yelled the student, who Yuugi could already tell was quite a bit bigger than him even before he angrily stood up. "Look what you just did!"

The crowd had backed off a little, leaving a few feet of space around the two of them. A growing number of people were gathering around to watch the drama unfold.

"I-I'm, I'm really s-sorry…" Yuugi stuttered as he scrambled to his feet and rushed to collect the scattered papers. Before he could grab more than a few, the other teen took them from him and shoved him up against the wall. His wrist twinged as it was caught in a painfully tight grip. Suddenly his vision started to cloud over and his mind became fuzzy, making it difficult to form complete thoughts.

"Not yet, you're not!" The words came to him as though from underwater. "But you will be when I'm done with you!"

The hand that the larger teen wasn't using to squeeze his wrist curled into a fist, and Yuugi cowered, hunching in on himself and waiting for the blow.

"Hey!" Someone shouted. Yuugi and the other teenager turned their heads and saw that the crowd was being forcefully parted to make way for-

_ Jounouchi-kun? _

The sensation of fog covering Yuugi's senses stopped growing and receded a little when he caught sight of the scruffy haired teenager, who had shoved and elbowed his way into the small area of open space around them and was glaring hate at the taller of the two.

"Get your hands offa him!"

The other student blinked in surprise before a sneer made its way onto his face. "And why should I do that, huh?"

Jounouchi tensed, slipping into a subtle fighting stance and clenching his fists. "'Cause I said so, that's why," he growled, turning his nose up at the other in disgust. "And when I hafta say somethin' twice, I don't say it nice."

The other teen tensed as well. He had at least three inches of height on Jounouchi, and seemed like he was about to retaliate before a look of recognition crossed his face and he swiftly backed down. Apparently, he was one of the people who knew of Jounouchi's reputation as a talented street fighter.

"Whatever," he grumbled, spinning around and pulling Yuugi along for the ride for a second before remembering his hold on the smaller boy and letting go. He snatched the rest of his papers off the floor angrily and stomped down the hall. Seeing that they wouldn't be getting a show after all, the crowd quickly dispersed.

Yuugi's vision cleared the rest of the way, and the feeling of cotton balls in his head disappeared. He slumped back against the wall, glad that his senses were no longer muddled and relieved that the confrontation had been defused. He looked up at his friend. "Thank you so much, Jounouchi-kun," he breathed gratefully.

"Don't mention it," the blonde said, cracking a grin and waving a hand in the air as if to bat away the thanks as he leaned against the wall next to him. Yuugi nodded his assent. Then his brows furrowed a little in confusion.

"Hey, Jounouchi-kun?" He asked.

"Mm?"

He hesitated for a moment before saying, "You- well, I'm pretty early today, and I wasn't expecting… I-I mean, I don't think I've ever, um, seen you here at this time before…" he trailed off.

Jounouchi shifted slightly. It was so subtle that Yuugi only just caught the motion, but it was coupled with his smile faltering for a bit, and Yuugi realized his friend was uncomfortable with the half question he'd not quite asked. Before he could apologize, Jounouchi shrugged and answered, "Eh, I guess I just felt like gettin' outta the house early today, ya know? No real reason."

"Oh, okay," Yuugi said, unwilling to mention the obvious evasion. Searching for a way out of the uncomfortable silence that fell after that, he opted for changing the subject. "Um, so, we should probably get to class," he said, awkwardly stumbling over the words in his inexperience.

"Yes, we should! Let's go!" Jounouchi jumped on the topic change without a care for how stilted and forced it was, shooting Yuugi a thankful look and a more genuine smile. The shorter boy felt the guilty knot in his chest dissipate and smiled back.

* * *

The next day started in a different manner, Jounouchi and Yuugi meeting up a block from the school. Upon approaching the front gates, the blonde spotted a white van parked outside.

ZTV was printed in big, bold letters across the side of the vehicle. Jounouchi frowned, pointing it out. "I don't watch a lotta TV, but I thought those guys were all about interviewing celebs and stuff. I wonder why they're here."

Yuugi craned his neck to see what his friend was pointing at, then hesitantly suggested, "Well… maybe they've decided to go into more topics?"

"Maybe…" Jounouchi said. His eyes lit up suddenly, and he spun around to face Yuugi. "Or maybe there's actually a _ star _here!"

"Huh?" Yuugi said, surprised at the blonde's abrupt change in demeanor.

"We should look around for them! I bet we could find whoever it is if we try hard enough!"

  
  
Yuugi thought for a moment that he should maybe try a little bit more to convince Jounouchi-kun that his theory was sort of far-fetched, but when he saw the other teen's eyes, he realized that the jumpy, anxious expression he'd been trying and failing to hide was no longer there, and decided immediately to let it go.  
  


After hearing from Jounouchi-kun what had happened to Ushio-san, Yuugi had had nightmares. But Jounouchi-kun had actually _ seen _ the aftermath of what had happened to Ushio-san. A lot of the police officers Yuugi had passed by close enough to observe wore unsettled expressions, and they were trained to be able to handle that sort of stuff.  
  


Jounouchi-kun, though he was a little rough around the edges, was still for the most part just an ordinary teenager. It must have been a hundred times harder on him than it was on Yuugi. If fixating on a mystery about a celebrity going to their school was enough to distract him from the awful thing he'd seen, even if that mystery didn't actually exist, Yuugi would let him have it. He deserved a distraction.

That decided, Yuugi went up to the front passenger side window and looked in through the glass, cupping his hands on either side of his eyes to block out extra light. Nothing. He pressed his face against it slightly to try and get a better view, but the glass was still too heavily tinted for him to make out much of anything. He informed Jounouchi of the fact.

"Ah, well," the blonde shrugged. "'S fine. What're the chances the star'd be in there right now anyway?" Yuugi returned the shrug, and both of them passed through the gates, meeting Honda in the halls and going to class.

* * *

A man sat in the driver's seat of the news van, munching on his breakfast. A shadow fell over the other seat, and the man looked to the opposite side, only to see some snoopy little twerp peeking inside. As the one who normally drove the vehicle, the man knew from experience that the kid wouldn't actually be able to see anything clearly past the deep tint of the window.

It was annoying, however, so he was about to open the door and tell the kid to get lost, but held off when he noticed the kid's features. He had a short, slight stature, a too-large uniform that practically drowned him in it. That and the child-like face and crazy hair made him utterly useless as the focus of any sort of film, _ except _ for the "documentary" that the ZTV director had been planning on doing at this school.

He subtly reached for the camera on the seat next to him. Making sure the flash was off, he aimed it for the midget. 

_ Click. _

The Director waited for the photo to develop, the kid walking off as he did so. He smirked at the frankly embarrassing picture of the kid's face smooshed against the glass as it faded into view. Getting such a perfect target was well worth the smudges the kid had left on the outside of the window.

"Hey, new blood!" He called to the back of the van. Then snorted when a thump and a startled yelp sounded before the assistant director answered with a strained "Yes, sir?"

"Come here, I got something for you."

* * *

Fujita huffed in irritation, mentally going over his orders again. Deciding he might as well get it all over with, the assistant director walked up to a random person and held out the picture his boss had given him. "Hey, d'you know who this kid is?"

The student gave him a funny look, but answered anyway. "Yeah, that's Yuugi from class B. Don't know what you'd want with that loser, but whatever…" he mumbled the last part and hurried off to class.

  
"Yuugi from class B, huh?" Fujita murmured, straightening the sleeves of the slightly too short school jacket he'd "borrowed" from the locker room and trying to come up with a strategy. Okay, so first he had to find a way to get the kid to follow him behind the gym, where he'd be away from unwanted eyes and in front of the cameras. Then he had to beat the kid up so he wouldn't be fired. He cursed under his breath.

  
  
Figures they would get a double scoop of a schoolyard documentary _ and _ a murder, and Fujita _ still _ got stuck in this crappy situation. Honestly, all the bad jobs fell to the AD.

  
He was so preoccupied he almost bumped into some midget. He was going to just keep walking when he caught the tail end of what the blonde kid walking next to the shrimp was saying.

  
  
"-have to find that star!"

  
  
He stopped and looked back at the duo, and realized that the midget was none other than his target. Luckily for the AD, the kid's appearance didn't exactly help anonymize him.

  
  
"Wh-what?" Yuugi from class B sputtered at the taller boy, who excitedly babbled something the AD couldn't hear in response. Fujita watched them, waiting until the two eventually parted ways before approaching his target.

"Hey, your name's Yuugi, right?"

The midget startled, whirling to face him. "Oh, uh, yeah… how did you know that?"

Fujita scrambled for an answer that wouldn't make him sound like some kind of stalker, finally deciding on, "I'm pretty observant, and I heard someone calling you that last week." Hopefully that was a good enough response. Thankfully, the kid seemed to accept it.

"Alright. Um, was there something you needed…" Fujita realized what he was asking for and quickly came up with a fake name.

"Haru, and yeah. I couldn't help but overhear you and your friend talking about a celebrity going here. I happen to personally know the star. I could introduce you to her! I think the two of you would get along well."

  
  
Yuugi was shocked. There actually _ was _ a star at his school! He'd honestly just been humoring his friend, going along with his outlandish belief that a celebrity was hiding in plain sight, attending a normal high school. To learn that the blonde had been right all along came as a huge surprise.

  
  
Something the other student had said suddenly popped back into his head: _ 'I could introduce you to her!' _ The small teen blushed furiously. The star was a _ girl _?! He would've been completely overwhelmed and flustered being around a celebrity even if they were a guy, but this was ten times worse! He could barely get a word out even when he was around the regular girls at his school, so how was he ever going to talk to this star, or even just not make a fool of himself as soon as he saw her?

Still, this student, Haru, was willing to introduce him – _ him_, of all people! – to a star, and Yuugi _ wasn't _ about to turn down the offer.

"You-you'd really do that?" He asked.

"Sure!" 'Haru' nodded. "Like I said, I think you two would get along well with each other." A sad look crossed his face, and his tone became more subdued. "Since she's a star, she has trouble finding real friends, and not people who just want something from her."

"That's awful! I promise I would never do anything like that to her." Yuugi said resolutely.

"I believe you." Haru smiled at him. "So, is behind the gym during lunch alright? That way no one else will find out about her."

Yuugi nodded enthusiastically. "Sure! I'll be there."

"Great!"

Yuugi bounded to class with a wide grin on his face. Fujita huffed. "Yeah. Just _ great_," he grumbled, slouching off to wait behind the gym.

* * *

The Director huffed impatiently. "The brat's late. You said you'd convinced him to come. So where is he?" He said, scowling at his subordinate.

"I-I don't know, sir!" Fujita stuttered frantically. "He really seemed excited to come, maybe he just got held up." As if summoned, the next moment Yuugi was sprinting around the corner, breathing heavily.

"Sorry I'm… late!" He said, bending over at the waist to rest his hands on his legs as he panted. The Director used the boy's distraction to his advantage and ducked out of view. A few seconds later, Yuugi stood up straight again. "I hope I didn't… keep you waiting too long."

"Don't worry about it, you're fine," Fujita said while Yuugi finished catching his breath. The teen slumped a bit in relief and finally looked around. He blinked in confusion.

"Um, Haru? Where is she?" 

Fujita sighed and readied himself for what he had to do. "Yeah, about that, I have to tell you something. C'mere." He beckoned Yuugi closer, as though he were about to tell him a secret. Yuugi thoughtlessly obeyed.

And regretted it when his cheek was met with a brutal punch, followed by a kick, and another punch, and another.

"There is no star!" He distantly heard. A gray fog started to muddle his vision.

"Hey! What d'you think you're _ doing__?!"_ A voice yelled, and the beating immediately ceased. Blinking blearily, he looked up and saw, much to his relief, that Jounouchi had once again come to his rescue and had shoved his aggressor away from him. Uncaring of the grass stains it would cause, the larger teen quickly slid to his knees on the ground and helped Yuugi sit up.

"Yuugi! Are you alright?"

"I'll be okay…" Yuugi said unconvincingly.

Looking over Yuugi's injuries, Jounouchi remembered the reason for the state his friend was in. He got up and whirled around.

"I am so _ sick _ of people beating on my friend! I'm gonna _ kill _ you!" The blonde suddenly had the bully by the lapels, his furious expression a stark contrast to Haru's own terrified face, and the sight made Yuugi feel inexplicably safe.

"W-wait, wait! I didn't really want to do it! The Director, he-" 

"Director?"

"Alright, cut!" Said a voice, drawing everyone's attention as a man with long, dark hair and a goatee stood up from behind one of the bushes running alongside the school's fence. Another bush rustled, and Yuugi and Jounouchi noticed the glint of a camera lense half-hidden by leaves and branches.

"You can go now, Fujita." The man said, and Jounouchi's forgotten captive jerked out of his slackened hold and scrambled away, dashing out of reach and out of sight. The teen barely noticed, his focus only on the apparent Director.

"You're the one behind this?" He demanded, then looked back at Yuugi.

The troubled expression from earlier was back on Jounouchi's face, this time because of his worry for his friend, and Yuugi's heart dropped. He wished the other teen's good mood could have lasted for more than half an hour. "I'm sorry, Jounouchi-kun. There wasn't a star after all…"

"Screw that, it's not important. _ You _ are."

"Hey, I said cut already!" The Director snapped, and the cameraman fumbled a bit in his rush to obey. "They're friends, we get it. This kind of stuff is a waste of film."

Noticing Jounouchi's glaring eyes on him, the Director turned his attention back to him and said, "Look, it's nothing personal, alright? It was just a coincidence your friend got picked to play the victim; just a bit of bad luck for him." A little smirk formed as he looked at Yuugi. "But for _ me_, it's great. We got some good footage; people are gonna sympathize with you. You're the star of this film, kid!"

Jounouchi took a step forward, putting himself between Yuugi and the Director. "Are you _ asking _to die?" He growled.

The man just laughed. "Go on, then. Hit me! Just remember, I'm recording the whole thing."

The blonde immediately halted and turned to look over at the bush that he'd momentarily forgotten had a cameraman hiding behind it. The Director chuckled.

"Stop the cameras!"

Jounouchi only had enough time to turn back to the man before a knee brutally rammed itself into his gut. The teen choked, hands flying to his stomach as the fell breathlessly to the grass.

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi shouted, painfully rising to his feet to rush to his friend's aid.

"Don't you get it?" The Director said smugly. "You can't fight the power of the media! With nothing more than a bit of footage and some editing, I could make you the laughing stock of the whole world. I could turn the public against you with barely any effort. It would be _ so easy _ for me to make your lives miserable!"

Casually stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans and smirking, he motioned to the cameraman to follow him. The man came out from behind the bushes and jogged to catch up. The Director paused just as he was about to round the corner after the cameraman.

"But don't worry! I'll blur out your faces from the film, 'cause all this prime footage you provided me with has left me in a generous mood. So look on the bright side! At least no one will recognize you!" He threw over his shoulder, snickering and strutting out of sight.

Yuugi's vision grayed for a moment, and the strange sensation around his wrist and ribs, the feeling he'd woken up with three days earlier and had since grown numb to, was suddenly back, like something cold was shifting under his skin. Distantly, he heard his heartbeat thudding in his ears.

He shook his head, blinking away most of the gray and ignoring the chill in his bones in favor of looking down at his friend. He noted with concern that the blonde was still wheezing, his face scrunched up in pain.

"Are you okay, Jounouchi-kun?" He asked worriedly, crouching down to gently ease the other into a sitting position. Jounouchi shivered momentarily before forcing himself to stop and relax his pained expression.

"Who, me? I'm just peachy. Don't worry, I've… had worse. No cheap hit like that is gonna… keep me down," he said with a cocky grin on his face, though the effect was somewhat ruined by the pauses he was forced to take so he could catch his breath. He saw Yuugi's expression remain the same, and added, "'Sides, it's _ me _ who should be asking _ you _that question. You got the worst of it. So, you okay, Yuugi?"

It took a moment, but a small smile slowly made its way onto Yuugi's own face. The chill in his bones faded completely and the rest of the gray fog left his vision.

"Don't worry, I've had worse. No cheap hits like these are gonna keep me down." The boy responded, and his grin widened when the other teen was able to laugh without coughing as his words were sent back at him.

"Alright, c'mon, ya little smarty-pants. We should be getting back now." Surprisingly, Jounouchi managed to shove down his ego enough to allow Yuugi to help him up. The blonde was rewarded with a somewhat humorous squeak of exertion as the small teen struggled to pull his much heavier friend to his feet. "Thanks, bud," Jounouchi said after he could stand without swaying, and reminded himself not to chuckle at the look of stubborn, determined concentration Yuugi had been wearing.

The shorter boy's eyes lit up. "Mm!" He said, nodding his head and smiling shyly at the words of gratitude he wasn't accustomed to hearing from anyone besides his grandpa.

As the two walked the halls on their way back to class, they caught sight of Honda, who, upon noticing Jounouchi, immediately narrowed his eyes, not seeming to notice the smaller teen.

"And where have you been, huh? Celebrity-chasing again? Don't deny it," he said when the blonde started to protest. "I saw that news van outside earlier and I know you did, too!" He grabbed his friend by the ear and started pulling him in the direction of their classroom, lecturing him while Jounouchi tried loudly and unsuccessfully to free his captive ear. Yuugi shook his head and started to go after them.

Then his vision began to gray again, and he could hear his heart pounding and his blood rushing through his veins. Grasping his head in his hands, he breathed harshly, fruitlessly trying to brush off the sudden vertigo that had come over him. He stumbled and leaned heavily against the wall. The thinning of the crowd didn't register in his brain, nor did the ringing of the school bell through recently deserted halls a minute later. The world spun dizzyingly, and he felt weightless for the last moment before he lost consciousness.

* * *

The spirit took a deep breath in through his nose and let in out slowly, still enthralled by the unfamiliar yet strangely liberating action.

He allowed himself a single moment to relish the feeling. Then he straightened. He had pushed himself too hard too soon when he'd taken over on that night behind the school, and had been all but comatose by the time he'd finished treating his Light's injuries. Because of this, he hadn't been able to step in until after Yuugi was beaten again, this time by that impostor student. Yuugi was lucky that the Shadow tendrils the spirit had used to bind his broken bones were so sturdy. Had they not been, the blows would have easily put the boy back into the near-crippled state he'd been in after Ushio's brutal attack.

The spirit growled, then sent one of his Shadows to track down the assistant director. He would let the Shadow have its fun for a few days; the young man would survive with his soul and (most of) his sanity intact, but the spirit would _not_ allow the violent actions against his Light to go unpunished, even if the impostor had only been following commands. He snarled at the thought of the man who had been behind the attack, remembering the way he had so gleefully attacked Jounouchi and unrepentantly admitted to ordering that Yuugi be beaten. 

The spirit hadn't been able to take over while the Director was still at the school, as it wouldn't do to frighten Yuugi's friend, but he had managed to send out a couple of his Shadows as the man left. He knew from the images they sent him that they'd clung to the underside of the van the Director had gotten into as he drove off.

The spirit had overexerted himself when he'd dealt with Ushio, and was still slightly weakened because of it. But it had been days now since his release from the Puzzle, not seconds like the first time he'd punished a transgressor. His abilities were much more stable by this point. Even if that weren't the case, though, he wouldn't have let it stop him; someone had trespassed on the boy's soul, and so long as the spirit was around, he _ would _ avenge the injustices done to his Light.

* * *

A short time after the sun set, the Director pushed through the door into the parking garage, ready to finally be finished for the day. There were a lot of things he liked about his job position, but the long work hours were not included in that list.

There was a nasally voice humming a faint tune somewhere in the garage, and he spotted a gangly figure ahead of him, walking in the same direction as the Director's car. He vaguely recognized him as one of the guys from the tech department, and thought his name might have been Irvine or Sylvester or something like that. He was a stereotypical desk-bound geek, with weird facial tics, ugly plaid shirts, and blocky glasses. Just the kind of guy that was fun to subtly pick on.

The perfect end to a perfect day.

He purposefully quieted his steps and picked up his pace slightly. When he was only a few yards away, he let his shoes clack against the concrete. The man jumped and whirled, his obnoxious humming abruptly cut off.

"D-Director!" He squeaked. "I, ah, didn't hear you there…"

The Director nodded with false understanding. "Makes sense. I _ can _ be pretty stealthy when I want to be." He said, crossing his arms and hiding a smirk as he let the office lackey fret over why the Director had decided to sneak up on _ him_.

"So, I-I heard the latest show got quite the response." The bespectacled man stuttered said quietly, eyes averted as he fiddled with his tie. The Director chuckled.

"Of course. You know how it is; if the slop is good, the pigs will eat."

The other man adjusted his glasses, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Ah, yes, well, I'll see you later then." He quickly made for his reliable little four-door sedan and exited the garage at a pace just shy of speeding.

_Spineless coward,_ the Director thought scathingly. _Afraid to get his hands dirty to get the job done, just like every other prissy office nerd_ _around here__._ Unlike some others, _he _knew that in order to get ahead in this business, one had to be willing to do some dirty deeds. In fact, it was often the case that the dirtier the deed, the better it was for business.

"Heh… maybe next time I'll kill someone in front of the cameras…" he murmured with a smirk, already imagining the ratings and money he'd be raking in then.

He pulled the car door open, and was about to get in when he happened to glance in the direction of the side view mirror. A pair of burning scarlet and crimson eyes seared into his own muddy brown ones, and he gave a shout of alarm, slamming the door shut and whirling around.

Standing only feet from him was the same shrimp he'd had his assistant beat up earlier in the day. His face was covered in scratches and bruises and his hair looked even wilder than he remembered it, but he still managed to somehow send out an aura of intimidation, so unlike the image of textbook wimp he'd been wearing last time the Director had seen him.

"I've been looking for you, Director…" the boy said, his voice carrying easily despite being barely above a whisper. He cocked his head swiftly to one side in a manner reminiscent of a curious hawk and continued, "I believe we have some… unfinished business to attend to…"

The man shook off his apprehension, silently cursing himself for getting so nervous around a simple little twerp.

"You're that brat, Yuugi! What're you doing here? You come to get paid or something?" The Director asked. The boy frowned in distaste.

"You believe I have sought you out for such a mundane, pitiful reason? I suppose I should have expected as much from such a corrupt and self-serving individual. No, my reasons for coming are of a much higher worth. I am not so shallow nor so forgiving as to be willing to accept a monetary offering as sufficient compensation for what you've done…" The teen's eyes darkened, and his lips twisted into a terrifying snarl.

"You have trespassed on the souls of my Light and his Friend, and you shall be punished," he hissed. "For your despicable actions, I will show you no mercy!"

"What're you talking about, kid?" The Director said, bristling. "You threatening me?" The boy didn't answer, instead examining him with eyes that blazed with an untameable fury.

  
  
"Director…" he whispered. The air thickened with tension and the bright lights of the parking garage began to dim. The hum of hidden electrical wires that echoed off the walls faded into silence. The Director glanced around with confusion and rising anxiety. The boy took a step closer, his irises becoming churning pools of red. Then a golden light shimmered into view on his forehead, quickly taking form, and the boy suddenly had three eyes. The Director gaped.

  
  
"You bend the truth in front of the cameras, spreading lies and harming the innocent…" the boy- monster- _ whatever _ he was went on as if nothing had happened. Shadowy tendrils emerged from the corners of the parking garage, reaching for their soon-to-be victim.

  
  
The Director fearfully backed away from the tendrils, swatting at them and screaming every time one tried to latch onto him. "What is this?! What _ are _ these things?!"

  
  
The three-eyed creature ignored him once again. "I think it a fitting punishment to take from you your own vision, as you have taken from others the ability to see the truth behind what you film. And… yes, I think I will also deprive you of the opportunity to ever cause harm again…"

"Get these things offa me!" The Director screamed as the Shadows restrained him, growing more and more frantic as several tendrils snaked over his face and headed for his eyes. "Get them off! _ Get them- _ ** _AAAGHH!"_ **

The spirit watched calmly for the next few minutes the carnage taking place before him, viciously satisfied with it. He only became annoyed when one blood-splattered eyeball rolled to a stop a mere six inches from the tip of his shoes, leaving a crimson trail between him and the shrieking, spasming Director. He shoved down the sudden impulse to grind it under his heel, knowing it would do nothing but soil his Light's shoes. Instead he settled for having his Shadows rip the thing apart in his place. It wasn't as satisfying as he would have liked, but there wasn't much time for him to be disappointed. 

Soon the Shadows began enacting the last stage of the Director's punishment, and the spirit was flooded with ecstasy as his servants began the process of removing and draining the man's soul. His eyes fluttered closed, and he allowed himself to bask in the wonderful sensations that always accompanied a feeding.

All too soon it was over, and the Shadows retreated back into hiding. The overhead lights brightened and the hum of the electrical wires filled the garage once again. Taking one last look into the empty eye sockets of the bloodied husk of a man, the spirit turned and walked into the nearest shadow. As he was silently transported into an alley across the street from the Game Shop, he absently wondered if he should have perhaps left the man his soul.

After all, it was rather hard for one to suffer when one's personality, thoughts and mind no longer even existed.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Troubling Topics

Yuugi sat in his chair at school with his brow furrowed. Absently flicking a pencil back and forth across the top of his desk, he racked his brain in search of missing memories for what was probably the hundredth time in the last week and a half. As always, nothing came to him. He just couldn't remember anything between heading to class with Jounouchi-kun on the first day of school after Ushio's death and staring down at his bedroom floor hours later, the sky completely black outside his skylight window.

It was the second time that type of thing had happened, and in under a week, no less. Had he… hit his head harder than he'd thought in his last confrontation with Ushio? Before then, he had never suffered from blackouts. He nibbled on his bottom lip, fidgeting in his seat.

In an action that had somehow already become second nature to him, he reached for the Puzzle hanging around his neck. He gently took the artifact into his hands, and almost instantly, his mind became fuzzy. Although he made a half-hearted attempt to grasp the thoughts that were slipping from his brain, it only took a few seconds for him to completely forget the troubling topic he'd been pondering. The fog lifted from his mind, and he blinked, glancing around.

For a moment he was confused, but quickly came to the conclusion that he'd been daydreaming. He briefly tried recalling what he'd been thinking about before coming to the conclusion that it didn't really matter. The chances that he had been daydreaming about something important were very slim.

He turned his attention to the world outside the window, watching with mild interest as a small bird that he recognized as an Asian stubtail (where he'd learned _ that _ information he had no clue) hopped between the branches of a nearby camphor tree.

"Mutou!"

Yuugi jumped, his attention snapping to the front of the classroom where the stern-looking Chono-sensei was scowling at the teen. All around him, the curious and amused eyes of his classmates stared at him as well. Yuugi slouched in his seat and ducked his head low between his shoulders, a feeling of anxiety rising up inside him at all the attention he was receiving.

"Y-yes, Sensei?" He squeaked, causing several students to snicker. A blush of mortification colored his cheeks.

"Since you have obviously been paying _ such close _ attention, I think you should be able to answer my question easily." A deafening silence followed his teacher's statement, and it was all Yuugi could do not to shrivel under the hawklike gaze that continued to bore into his own. Seconds passed, and quiet giggles started to overtake the room until a quick glare in the direction of the offending parties silenced them. "Well? I'm waiting, Mutou." Yuugi swallowed convulsively.

"I'm… sorry Sensei, but… c-could you, um… please r-repeat the question?" He asked, barely above a whisper. A short wave of giggles rippled around the classroom again, quickly stifled to avoid the strict woman's wrath.

"See me after class, Mutou. We need to have a few words about your behavior."

"Yes, Sensei," he said quietly, sliding even lower in his seat. When the teacher turned back to the board, Yuugi glanced over at Jounouchi. The murderous glare his friend was directing at the back of the woman's head made him feel a little bit better.

* * *

Jounouchi waited for Yuugi after school, then walked with him all the way back to the Kame Game Shop. The blonde smiled a bit awkwardly when Yuugi gave him a heartfelt thank you, and nodded when the smaller teen told him to get home safely.

Once Jounouchi started heading off, Yuugi finally noticed that the sign for the shop was flipped to CLOSED for the second school day in as many weeks. Curious, he unlocked the door and made his way up the stairs to the living quarters. Sugoroku was in the kitchen, and Yuugi headed towards him.

"Jii-chan? Why's the shop cl-?" He cut himself off when the old man looked over at him with a sorrowful expression, and he noticed the broom in his grandfather's hands. A slightly more in depth appraisal revealed broken pieces of glass scattered across the kitchen floor. The man must have been sweeping up the glass before Yuugi got home.

Yuugi recognized the type of bottle the glass was from even without the sharp smell of alcohol that hit his nose a second later.

"Yuugi. I didn't hear you come in," Sugoroku said, and the teen noticed the strain in his normally cheerful voice.

"Oh," Yuugi said awkwardly. "That's okay. Do you need help, Jii-chan?"

"No, no. I wouldn't want you to get cut on the glass. I'll manage just fine on my own."

Yuugi frowned. "It's just as likely for you to get cut as me. I'm gonna go get the other broom. If we both do it, at least we'll only get half the amount of cuts each."

Sugoroku opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again after a moment of silence. He sighed, a tired smile crossing his face. "You're much too kind for your own good, Yuugi. Alright, then. Go get that broom." Yuugi nodded and did so.

The silence in the kitchen was broken only by the tinkling of glass and the light scritching of the brooms as they worked to clean up the mess. Neither brought up the topic hanging heavily in the air, unspoken. Once the floor was clear of glass and the brooms were put away, grandfather and grandson sat down on the living room sofa and just leaned against each other.

A couple minutes passed before Sugoroku finally sighed. He and Yuugi had agreed a few years ago that the boy deserved to know about these things when they happened, so no matter how much the man wished he could stay quiet, he owed it to his grandson to tell him what had happened while he was at school.

"Your mother visited today. She lost her job last month and came here to ask me for money for… well, to ask for money."

Yuugi shifted minutely in his seat.

"And she wasn't all that happy when I refused." Sugoroku was quiet while he struggled to think of what to say next.

"I know she does things that we don't approve of, but… she still loves you, Yuugi. You know that, right?"

Yuugi nodded, but the way he glanced away and bit his lip lightly told Sugoroku the truth. The man furrowed his brow, then wrapped his arms around the boy. He took in a deep breath through his nose.

"And I love you too, Yuugi. Never forget that, you got it?"

When Yuugi looked back up at him, the sadness in his eyes had dissipated by a good amount. This time his nod was firm. "Got it."

Sugoroku smiled and squeezed the boy before releasing him and slowly standing up. Yuugi followed suit. Sugoroku looked at the empty kitchen table, then turned to face his grandson again. "I guess it's takeout for dinner, eh?" He said, winking.

A small grin lit Yuugi's face.

Alone in his room later that night, it didn't take long for thoughts of his mother to resurface, overshadowing the light, happy feeling Yuugi had shared with his grandpa during dinner. He remained awake in his bed for hours, missing the woman that Akako Mutou had been and pitying the woman she had become. He finally drifted off to sleep in the early hours of the morning.

* * *

The clock on Yuugi's nightstand read 1:37 when the spirit finally decided enough was enough and gently pushed Yuugi's mind into unconsciousness, leaving him alone to stew in his own thoughts. The topic was the same as the one Yuugi had been fixated on, but the spirit's musings were of a much darker variety.

When he had first felt Akako Mutou's heart, it had been warm with a modest light. He had begun to like her. Then Yuugi's father had died, and she'd started to drift. For a while, the spirit had felt nothing but sorrow for her as her light dimmed.

A few years after the accident, she had come home drunk, and little Yuugi, seeing his mother stumble, had rushed to help steady her. In return, she had snapped at him to leave her alone and shoved him away. Yuugi had tripped backwards and landed hard on his elbow on the kitchen floor. Tears had welled up in his eyes, and Akako finally seemed to realize what she'd done. Her face had crumpled and she had dropped to her knees and pulled the child into a tight embrace, trembling and sobbing apologies into Yuugi's hair.

Yuugi had forgiven her immediately and hugged back. The spirit was not so free with his forgiveness, and had stewed in an anger that only bubbled higher the longer Akako's behavior continued to upset her son.

Yuugi loved his mother dearly. He would be devastated if she were harmed.

That was the only reason she was spared the spirit's wrath.

* * *

_ (Two weeks later) _

It was the last day of school for the week. Yuugi leaned against the window on the opposite side of the hall from the lockers and gingerly inspected a large bruise on his cheek with his fingertips. He knew from looking in the mirror earlier that morning that it was at the stage where it had faded from purple to a highly unflattering shade of vomit-green. But that wasn't what was on his mind at the moment.

Sozoji, a karaoke-obsessed upperclassman, wasn't in school that day, nor had he been for the previous four days. Yuugi had caught whispers about him having gone totally around the bend.

Theories and rumors abounded. Some students said he was just pretending to be insane to get attention. A few shaky, pale-faced individuals claimed they'd seen him covering his ears and begging for the "shadows to stop screaming". Others said he was probably just at home sick and that it was all made up. An older girl (one that Yuugi only recognized because of the infamy she'd gained from her rather dark sense of humor) had joked that listening to his own awful music had finally driven Sozoji crazy.

Whatever the case, Yuugi was in a bit of a shock, knowing that he had been one of the last people to see the older teen before his sudden change for the worse. Just as he was beginning to wonder if there was any correlation between the two, a mist fell over his mind, and the thought slipped away as though it had never existed. Blinking and dropping his hand from his cheek, he pushed off the wall and headed for class.

* * *

After school let out, Yuugi glimpsed his classmate Hanasaki down the hall and called his name, waving to him and smiling when the small blonde saw him and timidly waved back. Even with the broken lenses of the other boy's glasses causing distortion, Yuugi spotted a flash of gratitude in Hanasaki's eyes before he averted his gaze guiltily and turned, heading down the hall in the opposite direction.

Yuugi's smile dropped. He hadn't meant to make Hanasaki feel guilty. He didn't blame his classmate for giving him those tickets; they'd both been scared, and when Hanasaki had shuffled timidly up to him and tried to sell him one, Yuugi had been the one to make the decision to take upon himself the responsibility of getting them all sold.

There was no way either of them would have been able to sell all the tickets, and there was no reason for both of them to suffer Sozoji's wrath. It wasn't anyone's fault that the older student had seen the exchange and decided they both needed punishment anyway.

Yuugi had to admit that he also felt bad for Hanasaki. As far as he knew, his classmate didn't have any friends, and seemed almost afraid of the idea of getting any. He reminded Yuugi of himself before Jounouchi-kun and Honda-kun had become his friends, and Yuugi knew all too well how unhappy being friendless could make a person. Hanasaki had already disappeared, and Yuugi suspected that if he tried going after the other student he wouldn't be able to find him, but he made a note to try offering the hand of friendship at a later date.

With his mind made up and nothing else to preoccupy it with, the headache that had been throbbing behind his eyes for the last few hours became more pronounced. Despite the lack of bullying, it had been a long day, and he was ready to return to the comfort of his own room to unwind. He hoisted a strap of his backpack over one of his shoulders and weaved his way through the crowded hall, intent on getting back home.


	8. Façade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: disturbing imagery
> 
> Chapter start!

**_Previously:_ **

_Sugoroku sighed. He and Yuugi had agreed a few years ago that the boy deserved to know about these things when they happened, so no matter how much the man wished he could stay quiet, he owed it to his grandson to tell him what had happened while he was at school._

_"Your mother visited today. She lost her job last month and came here to ask me for money for… well, to ask for money." _ _Yuugi shifted minutely in his seat._

_"And she wasn't all that happy when I refused." Sugoroku was quiet while he struggled to think of what to say next. _ _"I know she does things that we don't approve of, but… she still loves you, Yuugi. You know that, right?"_

_Yuugi nodded, but the way he glanced away and bit his lip lightly told Sugoroku the truth. The man furrowed his brow, then wrapped his arms around the boy. He took in a deep breath through his nose. _ _"And I love you too, Yuugi. Never forget that, you got it?"_

_Yuugi looked back up at him, eyes glistening, and this time his nod was firm. "Got it."_

* * *

"No!"

The shout of a familiar voice drifted to Yuugi over the sound of the rest of the hall, and he looked around, trying to spot the speaker, Honda, in the sea of taller students that surrounded him.

"I'm not gonna tell him! It's bad enough you know, I don't want anyone else knowing about it too!" The still unseen brunette was shouting.

"Oh, come on, you know neither of us is any good at this kinda thing! We could use all the help we can get!" The equally hidden Jounouchi countered.

"What do you mean 'we'? This hasn't got anything to do with you!"

"Sure it does! Now that I know about it, I'm a part of it!" Jounouchi said before the owners of the two familiar, arguing voices came into view.

"No you're not!"

"Yeah I am!"

"Are not!"

"Are too- oh, Yuugi!"

Yuugi blinked at Jounouchi's sudden change in tone as he noticed his friend, but the small teen couldn't help the little grin that graced his lips.

"Hi Jounouchi-kun, Honda-kun," he greeted.

"Hey bud. Listen, Honda here is-"

"Jounouchi, don't you dare!" Honda snapped.

"Oh, right! I can't tell ya out in the hall. C'mon!" The blonde grabbed Yuugi's arm and tugged him into an empty classroom, Honda following closely and protesting the whole time.

"So, like I was sayin'," Jounouchi said, dancing away from Honda as he tried to stop him, "Honda's in love!"

"JOUNOUCHI!" The brunette managed to grab him, tackling him to the floor.

"That's great, Honda-kun! " Yuugi congratulated him.

Honda looked up from the struggling Jounouchi and glared. "You'd better not tell anyone!"

"Don't worry, I wouldn't do that to you," Yuugi said while Jounouchi simultaneously assured the same thing. The blonde used Honda's distraction to free himself and grinned.

"Anyway, he _really_ likes this girl, like a _lot._ He's even given up on his janitor obsession 'cause, he said, 'a job that focuses on the beautification of objects would distract me from the beauty of Miho'. That's her name, by the way. She's that quiet girl who always wears that yellow ribbon in her hair." He said while Honda glowered, no longer trying to stop him but obviously not happy about it either.

"But anyway," Jounouchi continued, "the problem is he doesn't know how ta tell her he likes her. So far, all we've come up with is that he's gotta get her a present. Y'know, to get her attention. Not sure what it should be, though."

"Oh. Do you want me to help you, Honda-kun?" Yuugi asked, looking at said teen.

Honda grumbled for a bit, but when he saw that the shorter boy was still watching him and waiting for an answer, he grunted and said, "Yeah, whatever…"

Jounouchi's eyes lit up as he got an idea.

"Hey, Yuugi, your grandpa's shop has a lotta weird stuff, right?"

"Um, well, we sell games," Yuugi said, not sure what to make of the 'weird stuff' comment.

"Wait, wait, wait," Honda cut in. "A _game store? _That'll never work! I can't just get her a _game! _This present's gotta be something cool and unique."

"Like I said, there's a ton of stuff there," countered Jounouchi. "I'm sure we could find something 'unique' enough for Miho."

* * *

After much verbal and physical foot-dragging on Honda's part, the three finally stood in front of the Kame Game Shop.

"I still think this is a waste of time," Honda grumbled as they stepped through the front door. Sugoroku looked up from the shelf he was stocking when the bell on the door chimed, and smiled when he saw the three.

"Ah, welcome home, Yuugi!" He smiled at his grandson, setting down the box he'd been holding and dusting off his hands. Then he turned to the other teens. "And you must be Honda and Jounouchi. Yuugi's told me about you two." He said seriously.

Honda and Jounouchi glanced at each other with uncertainty, and the sombre expression quickly slid off of Sugoroku's face as he chuckled.

"Oh, all good things, I swear! No need for you to worry your little heads over it." The two relaxed.

Yuugi smiled at his grandpa's light teasing. Still, he felt obligated to say, "Aw, Jii-chan! Leave them alone." Sugoroku chuckled again but nodded his assent, and Yuugi got to what they'd come to the shop for.

"Um, so Honda-kun likes this girl, and he wants to get her a present. But we're not sure what would be best. Do you have any ideas?" He asked while Honda shifted uncomfortably behind him.

Sugoroku hummed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Then a smile crossed his face and he snapped his fingers. "You know, I think I might have just what you're looking for."

"Really, Jii-chan?" Yuugi asked, he and his friends all perking up.

"Yes, and I can't believe I've never thought to tell you the story, Yuugi, but this is how I got your grandmother!" He smiled, then looked up at the cluttered shelves that lined the wall behind the register. He stepped closer to them, scanning their contents, and began shifting things around and peeking inside each of the little cubbyholes. His brow furrowed and he muttered, "Now where did I put the thing…?"

"Are you sure about this, Jounouchi?" Honda murmured skeptically as Yuugi's grandfather apparently found what he was looking for, grabbing what seemed to be a very, _very_ old box, judging by the avalanche of dust that rained down on his head the second he pulled it from the shelf.

"Um, I… dunno," Jounouchi muttered back, his confidence wavering as the old man sputtered and sneezed in the dusty cloud.

When the cloud dissipated, Sugoroku grinned and brushed some of the impressive layer of dust from the plain cardboard box. "This is it," he said proudly, opening it. Inside was a completed jigsaw puzzle, though not the kind any of the teens were familiar with. Even Yuugi looked confused.

"It's… blank." He stated. And it was. Every piece was a blank white with nothing to distinguish it from the others.

"Yes, it is." Sugoroku nodded, seemingly not thinking anything strange about it. "You write your feelings on it, then take it apart and send it to the one you love. As it's put together, your message will be revealed piece by piece. Quite romantic, wouldn't you say?"

There was a beat of silence. Then Jounouchi burst out laughing.

"I, I can't- haha!- c-can't imagine you w-with this, Honda!" He giggled uncontrollably.

"Yes…"

Jounouchi's snickers petered out. "Honda?" He asked, confused.

"This is it," the brunette murmured, staring intently at the contents of the box. "This is perfect. I can be romantic…" His gaze snapped back up to Sugoroku. "I'll take it!"

He dug a crumpled bill from his pocket and slapped it down on the counter in front of Sugoroku, who grinned and slipped it into the register when he saw the amount. It was about fifty percent more than the price he was going to ask for, but if the kid was giving this to him, he wasn't about to complain.

Honda put the lid back on and snapped up the old box, ready to head back out the door. He stopped short. The determined look slid from his face and the edges of his mouth curved downward in a troubled frown.

"B-but… hold on… what should I write? I've never written a love letter before. What should I do?" He glanced anxiously around the shop, as though it could provide him with an answer. Then his eyes landed on Yuugi and zeroed in on him. The smaller teen shuffled awkwardly at the intense stare.

"Yuugi. You write it."

Yuugi gawked and stuttered. "But, I-I haven't written a love letter either; it would probably turn out awful!"

"Please! You _have_ to at least be better at it than me!" Honda begged. Yuugi paused. Honda-kun was putting aside all of his pride to ask for help. Jounouchi-kun was right; he was _really_ into this girl.

"…Alright. I'll do it, Honda-kun." He said, already dreading the outcome even as Honda began to thank him profusely.

* * *

Yuugi pushed back his room's desk chair, standing with a stretch and a wide yawn.

The three had hung out for a while (though it had been Yuugi and Jounouchi who were doing most of the actual socializing, since every time either one tried to engage Honda in conversation, the brunette always got distracted by his anxiousness and quickly stopped listening) before Jounouchi and Honda left for their own homes. Yuugi had eaten dinner and finished up his thankfully small amount of homework. Since then he had been working on the message. Which he'd just finished, after about – he glanced at the clock – four and a half hours. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, but nothing changed. The clock still read 1:53.

Well. It was going to be fun staying awake at school tomorrow. Or rather, today. Biting back a groan, he read over the message a final time.

_My beloved Miho, you look_

_perfect in your beautiful_

_ribbon. I love you more than_

_anything in the universe._

_\- From Hiroto Honda_

He hoped it was something Honda would approve of, but he really hadn't been given much to go off of. Or much time to work on it. He yawned again. Nodding to himself and knowing he'd done his best, he reached down, broke the jigsaw puzzle apart, and put the lid back on the box. Then he pulled the short chain on his lamp, and the light went out.

On the short trek to bed in the dark, he accidentally kicked a few of the dozen or so pieces of crumpled-up paper that had fallen on the floor after his trashcan had been filled to the brim with them. He ignored the litany of discarded drafts in favor of flopping down face-first onto his soft blue comforter. He'd clean up in the morning.

* * *

Yuugi, Jounouchi and Honda arrived at school fifteen minutes before the time they normally would. Honda asked why they had to get there so early, and Yuugi wondered why the brunette was only asking this now when he could have said something about it the night before. The answer was probably linked to the way Honda had been quietly freaking out the whole time he was at Yuugi's place, including the time they'd spent discussing The Plan. Yuugi was tactful enough not to give voice to his theory.

Jounouchi just stared at Honda like he was stupid.

"Chono's been cracking down _hard_ lately, man," he said. "I heard she expelled _fifteen_ students just this school year." Yuugi furrowed his brow and looked up at Honda, concerned.

"Honda-kun, are you sure you want to give it to Miho this way?" He asked. "You could just give it to her after school lets out instead."

"Yeah, I'm sure. I think it's better if she figures out who it's from on her own." Honda said. Yuugi suspected his decision also had something to do with him feeling too scared to give the present to her directly, but he may have come to the wrong conclusion. Even if his suspicions were correct, though, he couldn't say that he blamed Honda.

"Alright, alright, let's just hide it before anyone comes in!" Jounouchi said, snatching the box and slipping it inside Miho's desk. The teens quickly went to their own seats, and a few seconds later another student entered the room. The three let out simultaneous mental sighs of relief.

* * *

"She still hasn't found it," Yuugi quietly voiced his observation a few minutes later. Honda was deaf to him as he shifted and twitched in his chair, stealing not-so-subtle glances at Miho every other second.

Jounouchi smothered his snickers behind a hand, making eye contact with Yuugi. "Oh my gosh, he's so _red!"_ He grinned, voice wavering with mirth. "Look at his _face!"_ The blonde's shoulders shook and he could barely keep himself from busting out laughing. Even Yuugi couldn't help his wide smile.

Honda's fidgeting drew Miho's attention, and he immediately stilled, looking anywhere but in her direction. She apparently lost interest in whatever was happening on the other side of the room, and Honda's head snapped around to look at the other teens with wide eyes.

"Did you guys see that?! Sh-she looked this way!" He whispered, his tone half-excitement, half-panic, and all pent-up energy. Yuugi gave him a thumbs up and Jounouchi turned away to hide his quiet giggling.

Then the sharp clacking of high heels signalled the arrival of Chono-sensei, and the atmosphere of light humor was gone.

The woman's lips were upturned in a serene smile, but there was something cruel and sharp in her eyes that only the most oblivious could miss. All noise and social interaction in the room ceased, the air becoming tense.

"Good morning, class. I have an announcement to make!" She said cheerfully. No one relaxed. "Before we begin, I want you all to empty your desks and bags. I'm going to be doing an inspection!"

A spike of panic went around the room, but the students all did as ordered. Honda, Yuugi and Jounouchi watched in horror as Miho pulled out the present. A small, surprised gasp left her lips, and Chono seemed to hone in on the sound. As she came over to Miho's desk, the girl shrunk in on herself.

"Oh dear," Chono said as she spotted the box in Miho's hands. "What do we have here?"

"I-I, um, I don't know…" she murmured, shoulders hunched inward. "I just… found it in my desk."

"Did you, now?" The woman asked sweetly, picking up the present. Without warning, she tore off the wrapping, the sharp sound of ripping paper causing Miho to flinch. Honda was almost hyperventilating, Yuugi's hands were clenched in fear on his lap, and Jounouchi was quivering with rage. The blonde growled out a curse under his breath.

Chono gazed at the now plain cardboard box and gave it a slight shake. Puzzle pieces rattled around inside. "Now what could this be?" She took off the lid.

"Oh my, a puzzle!" Chono tsked, then spotted the broken up message. "And what's this? Writing? Some kind of secret message? Oh dear, what a distraction this could have been! Let's see if we can't find out who the culprit is." She smiled smugly as she dumped the puzzle onto her desk and began searching for matching pieces.

Yuugi, Honda and Jounouchi held their collective breath, shoulders stiff with an awful tension that only got worse with each bit Chono-sensei put together. Then Yuugi noticed that the teacher was, thankfully, solving the puzzle line by line, going through the pile to find the one piece that fit next in the sequence, instead of putting together whichever pieces happened to fit as she went along. It was a very inefficient and time-consuming method. Hopefully she would get bored and give up before she finished it, and Honda's secret would be safe.

But the pile of incomplete pieces was rapidly shrinking, and it soon became obvious that she was making a lot more progress than he had hoped. He cursed himself for not realizing the flaw in his reasoning. He had failed to take into account that, unlike him, not many people liked to solve extremely difficult puzzles, so the one he'd written Honda's message on only had forty pieces.

As the woman went along, she read each word aloud, laughing in amusement. Poor Miho looked as though she wanted to disappear, her bottom lip quivering and her eyes becoming shiny with unshed tears.

Honda gritted his teeth at the way Chono was treating the girl. Yuugi watched him suck in a deep breath, bow his head in resignation, and shift in his seat, ready to get up.

Before he even realized what he was doing, Yuugi had shot out of his chair and shouted, "It was me! I wrote it!" Technically, it wasn't a lie. Several students snickered and someone wolf called. Chono ignored them in favor of looking smugly at Yuugi. The teacher was just opening her mouth when another chair squeaked, and Jounouchi stood up and spoke.

"Nah, I did it. I'm the one that put it in her desk." He said with a smirk. Yuugi looked at him gratefully. Again, it was technically true. The blonde_ had_ been the one to hide the present.

Honda finally got over his shock and stood as well. "Thanks, guys, but I need to take responsibility." He breathed in and looked directly at Chono. "Those are my feelings on there, Chono-sensei." Once again, not a lie.

The woman frowned. "Normally I would commend you for having such loyalty to your fellow students. But not in this case. Only one of you is telling the truth. Which means two of you are _lying_ to me. And I do _not_ like being lied to."

"I'm not lying!" All three said in unison, then glanced at each other in surprise.

"Well, we'll see which of you is telling the truth. Either way, one of you put this in her desk, and the other two lied to me. For that, you will all be receiving punishment."

* * *

When the spirit felt a jolt of anxiety in his Light's heart, he stirred, surfacing enough to peek through Yuugi's eyes and listen in.

Yuugi's teacher stood at the front of the room, her gaze fixed on her desk as she… put together a jigsaw puzzle? The spirit shuffled through Yuugi's recent memories to make sense of the situation. He was all but overcome with rage by the time he finished.

_How _dare_ that woman! She has no right!_ He thought, seething. His Shadows snarled in agreement. This slight against Yuugi and his friends could not go unpunished. But they were still in class, and while he would have loved to go all out, he knew that carrying out this punishment before she left the room (by which time she would have finished the jigsaw puzzle and revealed Honda's name) would require more than a little discretion.

And so he kept his Shadows near-invisible and carefully sent a few to seep into her mind, where they took root. He connected with the Shadows to guide them in twisting her perception.

* * *

Chono got closer and closer to revealing the name of the sender, thinking up what punishments she would give to him and the two liars. Of course, she would have to expelled them all, but that didn't mean she couldn't make their lives miserable first. She could say she was giving them a chance to correct their behavior while they suffered through their punishment, and when she eventually got bored, she would make up something about them rebelling and breaking more rules before she finally expelled them. She grinned.

"Look at-"

"-disgusting!"

"-gonna be sick."

Her head snapped up at the whispers that seemed to be coming from the class, but when she looked, not one mouth was open. The sound of disgusted whispers continued despite none of the students speaking, and the oddity only brought another unexplainable fact to her attention: every single person she looked at was frozen, every eye unblinking and every chest completely devoid of any movement that would suggest they were even breathing.

Something else was different, too; the atmosphere was darker. The windows that lined one wall of the room usually let in enough light that the overhead lights were only ever switched on when it was cloudy and semi-dark outside. Today the sun had been shining, not a cloud in sight. Confused, she looked over to when sunlight should have been pouring into the room. The view outside the windows was a void of black and deep violet mist, lazily swirling and throwing the entire room into shadow.

A golden light slowly began to manifest from somewhere near the back of the room, drawing her gaze. Her eyes landed on Mutou, who she realized upon inspection was left unaffected by whatever had frozen the rest of the class, and now that he had her attention she noticed the change in his appearance.

A psychotic grin split his face, his hair had spiked up even further than usual, and some sort of glowing _eye_ had grown on his forehead, which was the source of the golden light she had seen. A light that only seemed to deepen the surrounding shadows. He pointed at her, and a butchered version of the teen's voice echoed in her head.

_Look at yourself._

Afraid to disobey, she reached a shaky hand for her purse and took out a pocket mirror. She flipped it open and nearly gagged at what stared back.

Strips of rotting skin dangled from her face, which sagged and bulged grotesquely in a state of putrefaction. Maggots wriggled out of holes in her sunken eyes and burrowed into the decaying flesh that covered her cheekbones.

The mirror slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor. She _screamed._

* * *

Yuugi blinked, and a moment later a wave of sound crashed over him, causing him to jerk and nearly fall from his seat. Looking around, he saw that his classmates were speaking loudly, some of them wildly gesticulating, and he quickly glanced toward the front of the room, wondering why Chono-sensei would allow her class to act this way.

Chono-sensei wasn't there. The jigsaw sat nearly complete on top of her desk, with Honda-kun's name thankfully still scattered in the small pile of unfinished pieces that remained. But the teacher herself was nowhere to be seen.

What was going on? Yuugi opened his mouth to ask, then paused. He closed it a second later. Everyone else seemed to know what had happened. But he'd just "woken up" to a classroom full of panicked students. He had blacked out again. Anxiety about the occurrence flooded through him, but he knew he couldn't voice his concern. He didn't want to worry his friends.

As it turned out, he didn't even need to ask what had happened; all around him, his peers were still whispering or straight up shouting about it. Some began rising from their seats and heading for the classroom door, though whether it was to curiously go after Chono-sensei or to use her absence as an excuse to cut class Yuugi didn't know.

Across from him, Honda-kun rose from his seat, catching Yuugi's attention. The brunette was apparently ignoring the rest of the class and taking advantage of the chaos to walk towards Miho's desk. The girl had stood up as well, and was taking her book bag from its hook with tears still in her eyes. At this point, about half of the class was either already out the door or on their way there. No one was paying attention to Honda or Miho, so the boy took his chance and spoke up.

"Uh, um, M-Miho? I was wondering if you would… consider going out with me," Honda said, shuffling anxiously.

The confusion and lingering humiliation left Miho's face, and her expression changed to one of pity. She replied, "Oh, I… Honda, I'm already seeing someone. We're in a pretty serious relationship, and I'm just not willing to risk straining it, not even just with one date. I'm sorry, Honda." She turned away, and it took everything Honda had not to reach after her retreating form. His shoulders slumped, his posture utterly dejected.

Yuugi stood and took a concerned step towards him. "Honda-kun…" he said gently, carefully.

Jounouchi came up behind him and clapped the brunette on the back, though Yuugi noticed that the action seemed softer than normal. "Hey, cheer up, Honda. There are plenty of other girls in the sea."

_It's 'fish in the sea',_ Yuugi couldn't help but think. He didn't mention it out loud, of course. Honda didn't say anything, either.

"Y'know what?" Jounouchi said when he saw that the gloomy mood still hadn't lifted. "We should go get burgers after school! How 'bout it?"

Yuugi's eyes lit up at the mention of his favorite food, and although the question hadn't been directed at him, he quickly voiced his agreement, looking over at Honda. With both of his friends staring at him expectantly, Honda sighed and assented.

"Yeah, alright."

* * *

After school let out, they spent about half an hour at a local fast food joint, eating and talking (Yuugi was the most enthusiastic about the former, and Jounouchi was the one doing most of the latter, but at least with the blonde's near-constant chatter filling the air there wasn't any room for depressed silence). By the time they finished, Honda had at least been pulled part of the way out of his funk, so Yuugi and Jounouchi counted the outing as a success. The three eventually parted, each going their own separate ways.

Yuugi gave his grandpa the usual after school greeting as he entered the game shop, and Sugoroku waved Yuugi off when the boy offered to help out, telling him he had it covered. So Yuugi went up the stairs to his bedroom, closing the door behind him. He dropped his backpack on the floor and toed off his shoes before sitting on the edge of his bed, stretching and thinking back on the day's events.

Now that he was home and free of distractions, he realized that there was a strange touch of emotion tickling at the back of his mind when he thought about what had happened with Chono-sensei. The feeling was distant, hazy, like it wasn't his own, but as soon as he identified it, he quickly tried to swipe it away. A tiny bit of it stuck with him, however, and he was disgusted with himself for the part that remained.

Because satisfaction was the _last_ thing he should be feeling after what had happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have next to no knowledge of how high schools in Japan operate, so if there's anything wrong with how I've portrayed Domino High in this chapter or any others, that's why. Please excuse my ignorance!


	9. Drafted Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNINGS are in the notes at the end of the chapter.

"I'm off, Jii-chan!" Yuugi called out, waiting just long enough to hear his grandfather's responding farewell before slipping out the front door. He was greeted by a nippy breeze that had him tugging the front of his school jacket together and ducking his head a bit to shield his neck with the jacket's rather high collar. He looked up at the sky warily; those rain clouds looked heavy enough to burst.

He was suddenly very glad for public transportation, even though it was often noisy and overcrowded, as it meant he would soon be riding on a covered and heated city bus instead of walking all the way to school in such out of season temperatures with the threat of being drenched hanging over his head the whole time.

(Unknown to him, a certain spirit peeked out of his eyes and mentally scowled at the thunder clouds covering the sky in a heavy blanket of dark gray. He may have been a creature of darkness himself, but he rather liked sunny days. The sun had already risen; those clouds had no _ business _ continuing to make everything dark! That's what _ night _ was for. He silently grumbled at the injustice of it, wishing it were possible to somehow punish the pesky storm clouds like he did misbehaving humans.)

The bus made it to his stop just as it began to drizzle. Within a minute of boarding the rain was absolutely pouring down, but Yuugi had managed to escape all save a few drops. Unfortunately, his luck seemed to end there, as it had barely let up by the time the bus arrived, and Yuugi reluctantly left the shelter it provided, immediately booking it toward the school building.

He soon joined the throng of dripping students in the halls. His attempt at avoiding his fate had been in vain, and he shivered, just as drenched as everyone else.

He had noticed that, strangely, rather than being the freezing temperature it should have been, his Puzzle was actually quite warm. He didn't know why that was, and he couldn't really bring himself to care, so long as it was helping to thaw out his fingers. He smiled and cradled it fondly against him.

When he looked up from the Puzzle, one of the first things he noticed was that the familiar form of Chono-sensei was only a few strides away. He lifted his gaze up towards her eyes, taking in the changes in her appearance.

After the incident a couple weeks ago, she had taken to smothering her face with an inordinate amount of makeup and wearing clothing that covered nearly every inch of her body. She was constantly jumpy, and from what Yuugi had heard, hadn't so much as reprimanded a student since she'd run screaming from the classroom – a far cry from her former confident, arrogant, and excessively strict attitude. She was hardly even seen in the classrooms anymore, mostly assisting in the office and library, if the rumor mill were to be believed. Yuugi wasn't sure why she was still employed at the school, since she was technically still a teacher who just never showed up to teach, but he suspected her continued presence had something to do with the principal's apparent infatuation with her.

Almost as soon as he met her gaze, the woman stumbled back to land on the ground, the whites of her eyes visible around all sides of her irises and her pupils blown wide with all the primal fear of prey that had just come face to face with a predator. She scrambled to her feet with a cry of panic and pushed past students in her rush to get away.

Yuugi could only stare after her in shock.

(He was just distracted enough not to notice the wisp of amused gratification that curled faintly in his chest.)

* * *

Yuugi wrung out his limp, soggy hair and then shook his head to make it spread out more in its usual shape. It still drooped sadly, and without a comb it would turn into a big, frizzy, lopsided halo around his head when it dried, but at least now it _ would _ dry and he was no longer being weighed down by what felt like a gallon of rainwater.

He took off his wet jacket before he sat down, hanging it up alongside his bag on the hook. His exposed arms were pale and covered in goosebumps, and he rubbed his hands up and down them rigorously to generate heat. 

Honda sat down across from him, taking his jacket off as well. However, instead of focusing on trying to warm himself up after that, the brunette continued fussing with his hair, wringing out the water to the best of his ability and attempting to mold it into the shape he preferred. The rain had washed out the gel in it, though, and the brown locks flopped back into his eyes every time he let go. Eventually he sighed and just decided to ken his hair back against his scalp, his expression miserable. 

He met Yuugi's eyes. It took a moment, but soon the two were grinning at how ridiculous they both looked. The bell rang, and they looked to the classroom door, expecting to see Jounouchi dash through it at the last second. The doorway remained clear.

The new first-hour teacher was really lax and didn't usually come in until several minutes after class was technically supposed to start, so Yuugi was free to turn to his friend and ask him, "Um, Honda-kun? You didn't see Jounouchi-kun in the hall or something, did you? He's usually here by now, and…" he paused. He didn't like to assume anything about anyone based on stereotypes, but maybe Jounouchi had just decided to skip for the day. It did fit with his personality and rather lackadaisical views on school. Yuugi sighed. "Never mind, it's probably nothing."

"No, you're right, something's up," Honda said. "Believe it or not, Jounouchi hasn't ditched class a single day since we started high school." He hummed contemplatively, his face scrunching a little in thought. "You know what, I'm gonna stop by his place after school; I know where he lives."

Yuugi immediately perked up. "I'll come too!"

"Had a feeling you'd say that." Honda said, smirking. But something in his tone belied a sense of caution.

* * *

It stopped raining a few hours into the school day, though the clouds were still heavy and there was a light drizzle when Yuugi and Honda left the building. Thankfully, there was no flooding; just a few shallow puddles of rainwater here and there which splashed when the teens' sneakers disturbed them.

"Jounouchi-kun said you've known each other since the beginning of middle school, right?" Yuugi asked, his legs having to work to keep up with Honda's pace. The brunette wasn't really going that fast, but Yuugi was a lot shorter than him. He was mostly used to it by now, though; pretty much everyone had longer legs than he did.

"Yeah. Barely been to his place, though. Only once, actually…" Honda trailed off, and didn't speak again until they reached the base of an old brick structure. "This is the apartment complex," he said, gesturing. "If I remember right, his is the one on the third floor at the end."

When they arrived at the specified apartment, Honda knocked on the door. No one came to open it.

"Hello?" He said, knocking a second time. "Is anyone home?"

"Jounouchi-kun?" Yuugi called. Again, only silence answered them. Honda reached out and tested the knob. Yuugi gaped.

"Wait, what-"

"The door's unlocked," Honda said. Yuugi shook his head.

"Honda-kun, we shouldn't do this…" he whispered.

Honda released the knob and raised his hands. "It's okay, we're just gonna take a look." He said placatingly. Yuugi frowned, but relented. Honda slowly cracked the door open. He and Yuugi peeked inside.

Something hurtled toward them, and the two had just enough time to duck back behind the door before the object smashed into it, shattering. Yuugi yelped.

"Ya li'l brat! Where ya been da las' two days?" A slurred, booming voice shouted. The teens chanced another look inside the cramped living room, and caught sight of an overweight man sitting on a dilapidated couch in boxers, a stained, off-white T-shirt, and dirty boots. He had greasy, stringy hair and an unkempt beard, and his feet were propped up on a shabby tea table.

The air was thick with the stench of spoiled takeout, alcohol and vomit, the carpet was stained in multiple places, and what had to be several dozen empty liquor bottles were strewn across every surface.

"Wai'…" the man blinked, finally noticing who was at the door. His confusion slowly transformed back into rage as he roared, "Who're you?! Get outta 'ere!"

"S-sorry! We didn't mean to disturb you!" Yuugi squeaked.

The man ignored him, blindly groping for another bottle, and Honda slammed the door shut just in time to avoid being hit by the second bottle to shatter against the other side. The man began swearing up a storm, and both teens booked it to the end of the hall, down the stairs and out of the building.

They stopped on the sidewalk, panting while their hearts pounded and minds raced from the encounter.

When he finally caught his breath, Yuugi looked at Honda and asked a question that'd been on his mind ever since opening the apartment door.

"Um, Honda-kun? Was that…?" He trailed off, not quite able to form the words.

Honda seemed to know what he meant, though. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose before answering, "Yeah. That's his dad. He's been like that forever. It's… why Jounouchi never invites friends over."

"Does he- I mean, has Jounouchi-kun tried getting help?" Yuugi asked.

"No." Honda answered, a tired, defeated sort of look crossing his face. "No, he hasn't, and trust me, I've tried getting him to tell someone about it, like the police or something, but he won't listen. Doesn't wanna 'rat out' his old man. That's what he called it, anyway. I told him the guy deserves to go to jail, but Jounouchi… for some reason, he just won't do anything to get that jerk in trouble. I don't know, I guess it's 'cause even with all his dad has done, Jounouchi still loves him."

Poor Jounouchi-kun. Now Yuugi understood why he'd never seen the blonde take a day off from school, even when he came down with that bad cold a few weeks ago. Jounouchi had it so much worse than him. While Yuugi sometimes wished his mother was around more often, at least he almost never saw her when she did come home, bitter and drunk. Jounouchi-kun had to return from school every day to his drunken (and if that bottle to the door was any indication, violent) father.

Except…

"Jounouchi-kun wasn't at home." Yuugi thought aloud. "His dad said he'd been gone for two days."

Honda frowned, then nodded. "We have to find him."

* * *

Honda leaned against the brick wall outside a small convenience store, his breathing a bit fast. Yuugi panted loudly next to him, wiping a hand across his forehead and leaning against the same wall. Running after Honda when he was on a mission was like running a marathon for the short-legged teen.

"We've tried all his usual hangouts. It's like he's nowhere." The brunette sighed. Yuugi slid down the wall to sit on the sidewalk, far too tired and worried to care about the filth getting on the seat of his pants. At least the awning over the shop window had kept most of the rain away from the patch of concrete he was sitting on. Yuugi hugged his knees and rested his chin on them.

"Jounouchi-kun…" he murmured, eyes downcast. Honda looked at the sliver of sunset just barely shining through the cloud cover and glanced down at him in concern.

"You should go home before it gets dark, Yuugi."

Yuugi shook his head firmly. "I can't just-"

"Don't worry, I'll keep looking for him." Honda assured. "I'll find him. And even if I don't, I'm sure he'll turn up tomorrow."

"But-"

"Yuugi. Go home."

Yuugi was silent for a few seconds before his shoulders slumped and he released a sigh.

"…Okay." He murmured.

"Hey!"

Yuugi and Honda jumped at the loud voice, both looking towards its source. Across the road they could see a small, disused side street, more of an alley, really, and near the entrance was a group of teenagers and young adults, most of them wearing plain gray uniforms. In the middle of the group, they could just make out the form of someone in a blue Domino High School uniform sprawled on the ground.

"Step on my foot?" Said the same voice, which Yuugi and Honda could now see belonged to a teenager with a beanie, a pair of glasses, and an angry sneer. "Why don't you watch where you're goin'?"

"I-I'm sorry!" The teen on the ground stuttered fearfully.

"You're sorry, huh? Well then prove it! What'cha gonna give me to make me forget about this?"

"Those guys…" Honda murmured, and Yuugi looked at him. "They're wearing Rintama's school uniform." The brunette's expression creased with anxiety. "Yuugi, I've heard about that place, and a lot of it's really bad. We better leave them alone."

Yuugi felt sorry for the guy being picked on, but reluctantly agreed with his friend. There was nothing either of them could do.

He would have turned away if, at that moment, the young man on the ground hadn't cried out in pain. Yuugi instinctively looked towards the sound just as one of the gang members started kicking their victim, stepping forward and revealing a second figure in blue that had previously been hidden from sight. Yuugi's eyes widened.

"Honda-kun! Look, it's him!" He said, grabbing the brunette's sleeve and tugging. "It's Jounouchi-kun!" And it was. The blonde was standing in the circle with the rest of the uniformed group, watching with a detached expression as they beat the other Domino High student.

Honda whipped around. "What?!" He said, nearly shouting. "What's he doing with those Rintama lowlifes?"

The gang finally stopped, leaving a now bloodied and whimpering teen behind.

"C'mon, Jounouchi." Said one of the people in a gray uniform around the cigarette perched between his lips. He was among the largest in the group, and looked to be at least a few years older than Yuugi and his friends, probably in his final year of high school. Judging by the way the rest of the group parted to let him through, he was most likely their leader. "I'll take you back to our new place. It's called J'z. You'll like it." The older student started to lead Jounouchi away.

Yuugi gasped and dashed across the street towards the group.

"Jounouchi-kun!" He cried, barely hearing when Honda frantically called his name. A car braked hard and honked as he cut in front of it. His heart jolted at the close call, but he didn't let it slow him down. "Jounouchi-kun!"

The blonde stopped, shoulders tensing, but didn't turn around. The rest of the group did, though, and were looking at the small teen in bemusement.

"Why'd you skip school, Jounouchi-kun? And why are you with people like them?" Honda caught up and stood anxiously next to him.

"'People like them?' Does he mean us?" The teenager with the beanie asked, raising an eyebrow at the blonde. "You know that little twerp, Jounouchi?"

Jounouchi looked Yuugi in the eye for a moment, silent.

"Nah, Tsuwari. He's just some kid that goes to the same school as me."

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi made to get closer to his friend, but Honda was ready this time and held him back. The leader smirked and took the cigarette from his mouth, giving a single amused huff.

"Don't tell me you've started letting kids like that follow you around at Domino High." Once again, Jounouchi remained uncharacteristically quiet. The older teen laughed again, flicking his cigarette with his finger to remove the excess char from the tip. "You're too nice, Jounouchi. That place has made you soft. You should've come to Rintama with us from the start."

Honda narrowed his eyes. This guy sounded like he knew Jounouchi, and there was something familiar about him that the brunette couldn't quite place. He studied the guy's face and replayed his words in his head, and with an almost physical jolt, he suddenly realized why the gang's leader looked so familiar. The bags under his eyes, the slightly ashen skin tone, and the faint hollowing of his cheeks (no doubt obtained as a result of sampling drugs the gang dealt with) had changed his appearance enough that Honda hadn't immediately recognized him, but he knew that rough, condescending voice too well to avoid recognition for long.

Back when he'd first met Jounouchi in middle school, the blonde had been hanging out with a group just like this one, led by the same guy: Hirutani. Honda had eventually been able to pry Jounouchi away from their less than healthy company, but it had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done. He'd really thought his friend had turned over a new leaf. So what was Jounouchi doing with Hirutani's gang again?

"Please come back with us, Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi said, slipping out of Honda's grip. The brunette barely noticed, too shocked by his realization.

"That kid's really starting ta get on my nerves…" Tsuwari grumbled. He looked to Hirutani in askance. "Jounouchi said he didn't know him." Hirutani huffed a laugh, making eye contact with Tsuwari and smirking. Tsuwari took it as a sign of permission.

Jounouchi didn't turn around.

"Jounou-"

Pain suddenly bloomed across Yuugi's jaw, and he stumbled back and fell to the ground.

"Clam it, ya whiny brat!" Tsuwari growled, hand still clenched into a fist from his punch.

Yuugi barely heard Honda call his name over the burst of disorienting static that covered his vision and the abrupt spike of furious indignation, appearing one moment and vanishing the next.

"Who said you could talk ta Jounouchi?" Tsuwari asked, scowling. Shocked, Yuugi looked up at him and stuttered, but couldn't form any words. Tsuwari scoffed and leaned over him. "Next time I see your face I'll chop off that stupid hair of yours and shove it down ya throat!"

Honda ran forward and placed himself between his friend and Tsuwari. He may not be as good a fighter as Jounouchi, but he at least knew how to throw a decent punch.

"Back off! Yuugi didn't do anything to you!" He shouted, then turned and scowled at the motionless blonde. "And you! What is _ wrong _ with you, Jounouchi?!" Again, Jounouchi said nothing.

Tsuwari snorted. "C'mon, man. Let's get outta here."

Hirutani clapped Jounouchi on the back and used his hand to lead him away. The rest of the gang followed.

"Hey, where are you going?" Honda snapped. "Jounouchi!"

The group disappeared from view around a corner, and the teen deflated, anger replaced with a feeling of helplessness. He glanced down at his one remaining friend.

"Let's go, Yuugi." Honda said quietly, reaching to help the smaller boy up. "Jounouchi… he's made his choice." Yuugi took his hand, eyes downcast.

"Jounouchi-kun…" he murmured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: Drug/alcohol abuse, implied domestic abuse, and violence (stay safe, my lovely readers!)


	10. Drafted Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all those who are reading and/or following/favoriting this: thanks for your interest. And to my lovely reviewers: thank you so much for the positive feedback you've given this story! Your comments mean a lot.
> 
> Also, if you are a fan of "Rise of the Guardians" (or if you read and enjoyed the tone of "Cough Drops and Teddy Bears"), be on the lookout for my YGO and ROTG crossover "Fun and Games," which I will be posting the first chapter of tomorrow on Easter. (Alright, blatant self-promotion is now over.)
> 
> (TRIGGER WARNINGS are listed at the end of the chapter.)

The next morning, the sky was covered with the same dark, low-hanging rain clouds as the day before, but the temperature was even colder. When Yuugi set foot outside the shop, he saw his breath fog up in faintly visible puffs. There was only a light drizzle this morning, but his teeth were chattering by the time he entered the bus. The movement caused his bruised jaw to ache.

He met up with Honda in the hall outside their classroom. They sat down. The bell rang. Again, no one came running in at the last second. Yuugi and Honda met each other's gazes, but this morning there were no grins exchanged between them.

Jounouchi's seat remained empty the rest of the day.

"Honda-kun," Yuugi said as they stopped by their lockers. "We can't just give up on Jounouchi-kun. We have to at least try to get him back." Honda was quiet for a few seconds as he rummaged aimlessly through his belongings, expression unreadable. Then he sighed and shut the locker door.

"You're right." He finally responded. "He deserves another chance."

Yuugi smiled, then his brow furrowed thoughtfully. "That one guy said something about a place called J'z, right? Maybe he'll be there."

"I guess we won't know 'til we look," Honda said, a flicker of hope lighting his eyes.

The two stopped by a payphone – the one between the closest bus stop and that old fashioned fruit stand, Yuugi remembered – to look through its weathered phonebook for the location of J'z. Yuugi flipped through the pages and tapped on the spot when he located it, and Honda quickly pulled a pencil and a scrap of paper from his backpack, scribbling down the address. They jogged over to the bus stop's bench, grateful and relieved to find that the tiny roof covering the bench had prevented the box that held free city maps and bus schedules in it from being drenched with rain. Yuugi grabbed one of the papers and unfolded it, eyes searching.

By the time Honda finished slipping his pencil back into his bag and went to peer at the schedule, Yuugi had located J'z on the map and felt his stomach sink. J'z was halfway across the city. It would be dark by the time they got there.

A large vehicle pulled to the side of the road next to the bench, causing the two to look up. The vehicle – a bus, they saw – slowed to a stop, compressed air rushing out with a loud hiss. The doors squeaked open. Yuugi looked at the number on the bus, then back down at the schedule, and stared for a moment when he realized it was the one they needed to take. He shook himself and shared a grim but determined look with Honda before they both stepped in.

* * *

Chanting filled the dimly-lit bar, a bottle of beer spinning in the center of a large, round table. Empty shot glasses littered the edges of the table, but from the lucid eyes of the bar's occupants, it was clear that not much drinking had happened yet. Cigarette smoke clouded the air, and the smell of booze from a too-roughly handled bottle that had shattered on the floor was nearly overwhelming. The bottle on the table came to a stop, pointing at a man with questionable images tattooed over his bulging biceps. The chanting was replaced by raucous laughter, and the man growled but poured himself a shot.

Jounouchi, standing off to the side, wrinkled his nose and glared into a corner.

Tsuwari noticed and raised an eyebrow.

"Aw, what's with that look, huh? What'cha thinkin' about, Jounouchi?" The blonde was quiet, but he clenched his jaw minutely. "What, wouldja rather be playing house with Star-head?" Jounouchi scowled.

"Hey, no need ta be lookin' so glum! I know ya turned down Hirutani at first when he asked ya to rejoin. And lemme tell ya, I was shocked! It takes guts ta say no to Hirutani. I hafta admit, I was kinda impressed. 'A course, that was before you heard whatever he said to ya. So, I'm curious," Tsuwari continued without noticing the blonde's hands balling into fists. "What's he got on ya? It had to be somethin' good, 'cause you turned white as a _sheet!_ It's funny, ya reacted about the same after we beat up that stupid kid, too…" Jounouchi tensed, and Tsuwari blinked.

"Wait. Is he actually a friend of yours?" He asked incredulously. Jounouchi remained silent. Tsuwari guffawed. "You gotta be kidding me! That little _runt_ is-!"

The punch came out of nowhere. One moment the blonde was standing in a corner supposedly sulking, the next, his fist was flying out and nailing the other teen right in the face. Blood spurted from Tsuwari's nose and he wailed. One of the men who had been standing quietly behind the counter until that point fled through the back door.

"SHUT. _UP!"_ Jounouchi snarled. "Just shut up!"

Tsuwari cowered submissively, cupping his broken nose and whimpering. The room was silent otherwise. Then Hirutani laughed, and a couple others joined in nervously. "It's good to see that fire back in your eyes, Jounouchi! I was afraid you'd lost it." The mirth slid from his face. "Unfortunately, I can't tolerate this sort of insubordination in my ranks. Grab him, boys."

Jounouchi sprang into motion, his time away from the gang life not slowing his reflexes. A hand reached for him, and he grabbed it and twisted, spinning and kicking at a knee even as the first thug cried out in pain. Two men down, nine to go.

The one employee who had remained behind the counter until this point decided that staying through the fight wasn't worth pleasing Hirutani, and made to run for the back door. Before he could get more than a few feet, a stray bottle shattered against his temple, and he crumpled to the floor, out cold.

Three more thugs advanced on Jounouchi, and he systematically took them out with the same expertise as the first two.

"C'mon!" He shouted, veins singing with the thrill that came with fighting. "Is that all you g-"

His eyes suddenly widened and he jerked to look behind him, where someone had gotten wise and decided to sneak up on the blonde instead of rushing him. He tried to raise his arms to defend himself, but wasn't fast enough to block the fists that came down on his head. _Hard_.

He slumped, dazed, and multiple sets of hands gripped his limp upper arms, pulling them roughly behind his back. Something about the feeling of being restrained jolted him out of his stupor, and he bucked and writhed and snarled, but there were just too many thugs to fight them all off.

"Control him!" Hirutani yelled. The breath was pushed from Jounouchi's lungs as more weight pressed down on him. He wheezed. "Take him to the warehouse," the gang leader commanded, smirking at the glowering blonde. "I think he needs a little attitude adjustment."

* * *

Yuugi and Honda stepped off the bus. Yuugi pulled the map back out and located their position, and from there they headed for their destination.

Which happened to be a hole-in-the-wall bar. They paused to look at the faded sign that proudly stated "J'z!", all of its neon lights burnt out except for a single, flickering section of the exclamation point. Beneath the letters was an arrow that pointed to a dark stairway leading underground.

Yuugi swallowed nervously, but took a step towards the stairs. Honda frowned and held his arm out in front of the smaller boy.

"Stay here, Yuugi," he said. Yuugi blinked incredulously at the hand stopping him.

"What? But Honda-kun, I-"

"Yuugi," Honda cut him off, "I told you, those guys he was with are from Rintama; they're really bad news. You don't know how to fight, and even if you did, I…" Honda paused, shifting uncomfortably, before deciding whatever he was thinking was too important to keep to himself. "I… you're a good guy, Yuugi. Like, _really_ good. I don't wanna see you sink to my level."

Yuugi was speechless. Still, he couldn't promise his friend he wouldn't go after him if he thought he might need help. He bit his lip and looked away, staying put but agreeing to nothing. Honda sighed at the reaction. It was probably as good as he would get from the other boy. He trudged downward. No footsteps followed after him.

As he descended the stairs, his rage returned to him. He stormed through the front door of J'z. Sharp hazel eyes scanned the interior of the bar, picking out details. A flipped table and several overturned chairs. Shot glasses and bottles of various types of alcohol strewn about, a few of them shattered on the ground. A small puddle of blood. All signs of a fight.

His gaze shifted. The very top of a head was visible behind the bar counter; apparently someone was trying to hide. Honda leapt over the counter and immediately grabbed the front of the person's shirt, not wasting a moment before shouting, "Where is he? Talk!"

Then his mind caught up to his body, and he noticed that the man's eyes were closed and his head flopped limply as he was shaken. A trickle of half congealed blood ran down his temple, and although the bleeding had stopped, the brunette still felt his heart skip a beat at the sight. He let go of the shirt and pressed two fingers to the side of the man's neck. A steady pulse throbbed beneath the skin. Honda released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Out cold…" he mumbled, relieved that the guy was alive but agitated because he would be of no use. He looked back towards the entrance and saw Yuugi, who had – unsurprisingly – left the spot where Honda had told him to wait and was now watching nervously from the other side of the room. "C'mon, there's nothing here."

As they were walking back out through the front door, Honda stopped, prompting Yuugi to do the same. He looked up at Honda curiously.

"We… we should split up; we'll cover more ground that way."

Yuugi could both hear the uncertainty in his voice and see it in his eyes; after all, just yesterday he had been the one so adamant that they stick together. But Yuugi didn't hesitate to agree.

"Alright. Should we meet up back here?"

"Yeah." Honda said. "About every half hour. If you find him and he's not alone, don't let them see you. Come back to the meeting point and wait for me, and we'll go get him together, okay?"

Yuugi noticed that Honda didn't say he would do the same if _he_ found Jounouchi, but decided not to question it; they both knew that if things went south, Honda was the one who'd stand a better chance of making it out more or less unscathed. He nodded.

"Okay."

* * *

It was getting late. He didn't have his watch with him, and the overcast day made it difficult to tell time by the ambient lighting alone, but Yuugi was sure that the shadows would have been long if it weren't for the thick cloud cover. He was also lost in a part of town he'd rarely been in before. Currently, he was in the middle of a maze of damp, dingy alleyways that all looked the same. That was the extent of his knowledge on his whereabouts.

It was late, and Yuugi was lost, but those were things he could worry about later, because right now, he was looking for his friend.

Muffled voices drifted to him, and he froze. It could be nothing. In fact, it probably was nothing, but he had to check. It took him a while, but he eventually managed to follow the voices out of the twisting alley and to an old warehouse. It was obviously abandoned, judging from the rusted, pockmarked roof and the warped and slightly sagging south facing wall. Warning bells went off in his head. He ignored them.

Creeping forward, he walked along the edge of the building until he got to a partially opened metal door and peered around the edge of it. A few lights hanging from the walls illuminated the corner of the building closest to the door, and Yuugi held his breath when he recognized some of the figures inside. One of the nearest of them was that thug, Tsuwari, and further back was the leader, who Honda had called Hirutani. And in the middle, being held on his knees by two beefy thugs, was-

_Jounouchi-kun!_

A burst of _something_ – some frazzled conglomeration of relief, betrayal, rage, concern, and confusion – flared in his chest at the sight of his friend, accompanied by a brief fit of disorienting gray static fuzzing over his vision.

Hirutani circled Jounouchi slowly, taking his time. Finally the man came to a stop in front of him, towering over the kneeling teen in a maneuver of blatant but effective intimidation.

"So, Jounouchi. You ready to cooperate? No more rebellion?"

The blonde spat blood from his mouth. "_Fine."_ He said through gritted teeth. "But you better not do anything like what you did yesterday again, or I'll-"

"Or you'll… what?" Hirutani asked, raising a brow. "What will you do? You forget, I'm the one holding all the cards here, Jounouchi. You have absolutely no leverage, but I have plenty. I can do whatever I want with those two."

Jounouchi snarled. "We had a deal, Hirutani! You said if I went with you, you'd leave my friends alone! You _said_ that!"

Yuugi gasped. The next moment, he realized his mistake when every eye in the room turned to him.

"Well wouldja look who it is!" Tsuwari called, a glint in his eye. His nose was slightly bent, but his voice sounded normal, and he seemed to be ignoring it. "Star-head himself! Ya know, ya got a lotta nerve showin' up on our turf, kid."

Yuugi swallowed, but took a step past the threshold and into the building. "I-I don't want any trouble. Please, just let Jounouchi-kun go."

Tsuwari blinked. Then he and several others guffawed.

"Listen ta that, boys! He says he don't want any trouble, and then he makes demands! The little mousey's got more guts than I thought!" He stepped closer to Yuugi. "Hey, kid. Remember what I told ya last time? What would happen next time I saw ya?" Yuugi's eyes widened fearfully as he recalled Tsuwari's words. He quickly tried backing away, but Tsuwari caught hold of the Puzzle and yanked him forward by its cord. Someone slammed the door shut behind him. Yuugi stumbled and choked, and Jounouchi spat threats at Tsuwari and tried bucking his captors off of him, but Tsuwari just pulled harder until the cord snapped.

"Ya do, don'tcha?" He said as Yuugi gasped for breath, then carelessly tossed the Puzzle toward the group of goons watching from the side. One of them caught it, studying it confusedly. "Happy birthday, whatever your name is. Go sell it somewhere later." Tsuwari said. The goon grinned and Yuugi stared, horrified, but before he could say anything, Tsuwari turned his attention back to the boy. "Anyway, yeah, I said if I ever saw ya again, I'd chop your hair off and stick it down ya throat!" He roughly grabbed a fistful of Yuugi's hair and tugged.

"Get your hands offa him!" Jounouchi snarled, struggling against the two goons restraining him. When one of them reached in front of him to get a better grip, Jounouchi lurched forward and bit down on his arm. The man howled and tried pulling away, bashing the blonde over the head.

"Take care of him!" Hirutani yelled.

Jounouchi stiffened, then choked on a scream, convulsing as two tasers shocked him simultaneously. When the goons stopped, Jounouchi slumped, his eyes glassy and breathing labored.

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi screamed, and Tsuwari gave his hair another sharp, punishing tug.

Tsuwari cursed, then huffed. "Well, looks like you got lucky, kid. I left my knife somewhere. _Or_ one of these clowns took it and thought I was too stupid ta realize it," Tsuwari glared, and a few of the thugs flinched. "But I mean, same difference, am I right?" He looked back down at the boy, gaze contemplative, and Yuugi tried not to squirm in discomfort.

"Hmm… maybe not so lucky…" Tsuwari smirked. "Hey, boys! I'll figure out who took my knife later. For now, you all get ta help me make this little mouse squeak!"

* * *

Yuugi sucked in a sharp, ragged breath, lungs constricted from both the pain in his ribs and the way he was strung up by his wrists. His wrists chafed and his arms ached from bearing the brunt of his weight for… however long the gang had been beating him. The thug who'd just kicked him in the knee snickered at his reaction.

"What'sa matter, widdle mousey? Ya lost your squeaker?" The thug asked.

Another one grinned and said, "Don't worry, we'll help ya get it back!" Without warning, he stepped forward, grabbed two of Yuugi's fingers, and twisted. They strained for a moment before dislocating, and Yuugi screamed.

"Hey, lookit that! I found it!" The second thug crowed. The first one smirked.

"Bet I could do better," He drawled, and grabbed the boy's right arm. Yuugi's eyes widened, but before he could beg for mercy the goon was wrenching his shoulder backwards. There was a loud _pop,_ and Yuugi's vision flashed white and then black as his consciousness left him.

* * *

"What're we gonna do with the kid, boss? A standard catch and release, or what?"

Yuugi heard the words as though through water. He didn't know how long he'd been here, just that he'd faded in and out of awareness several times. Jounouchi had managed to get up and cause a bit of a ruckus at some point, but it hadn't lasted long, and Yuugi could only assume he'd been shocked into unconsciousness again.

Somewhere in the background, most of the thugs had gathered around an old card table to play what his fuzzy thoughts decided was probably poker. Every once in a while, someone would come over and break through the fog by giving him a halfhearted kick or a tug on his hair, but for the most part they seemed to have gotten bored of him and he was left alone in a haze.

"No." Hirutani said, and Yuugi remembered Tsuwari had asked something. "Normally a good beating would scare a little boy into silence, but this one has shown he's not gonna back off. He's too stubborn for anybody's good, and it's gonna cost him. The kid's a liability. He has to disappear."

_Disappear?_ Yuugi's muggy brain questioned. _How would I do that?_

Tsuwari and Hirutani briefly discussed the "best location" _(location for what?)_ before settling on one.

"You boys done with him?" Tsuwari asked.

"Yeah, he's not really moving anymore, so he ain't much fun."

"A'ight, let's cut him down."

The _shing_ of something small and metal reached Yuugi's ears. Tsuwari cursed angrily. There was a dull thud and someone yelped.

"I _knew_ one of you morons took it!"

Feet shuffled and a blur moved in front of him, grabbing the rope that was tying his wrists. He was suddenly being jostled, and he felt a few distant pricks of pain from the rope scraping against his already chafed skin.

Then he was falling, and his whole body cried out in pain as he crumpled to the floor. People were closing in on him, but the only one of them that fully registered was the man holding his Puzzle. The sight of the artifact so close woke something inside of him, and the fog over his mind briefly cleared enough for him to focus on it. Yuugi's vision tunneled, and he was overtaken by the need to feel the comfort of smooth gold under his fingertips. He reached out, and his hand just barely brushed the Puzzle.

(At the same time, a door formed on the surface of a stone wall in a labyrinth dimension, and was immediately hurled open by a furious spirit.)

The teen's body suddenly tensed, and with a strength that was unnatural for someone so small, he grabbed the wide wrist and twisted, forcing the gangster to drop the golden pendant. The boy quickly caught the artifact on its way down.

Gray uniformed thugs gaped at the unexpected display while invisible Shadows swirled from the Puzzle and sank beneath his skin, binding broken bones and numbing the pain. He gritted his teeth and growled quietly as his two dislocated fingers and his right shoulder popped back into place.

"How _dare _you," he hissed furiously, gaze smoldering. A few of the gang members backed up a little, suddenly and inexplicably nervous. Their captive, who had moments before been all but comatose on the ground, was standing, and might as well have just woken up from a good night's rest for how little effect the beating seemed to have had on his posture.

He stood, fuming, and they watched with horrified fascination as a loud _pop!_ and two quieter ones sounded and his dislocated fingers and shoulder seemed to push themselves back into place.

While the group was preoccupied, he darted forward and snatched a taser from one of the thugs, holding it in front of him.

"Get back!" He snarled, Shadows subtly amplifying his voice, and nearly every person surrounding him obeyed, shocked at the sudden change in demeanor and many still gaping from the way his dislocated joints had inexplicably reset themselves. Even Hirutani was keeping his distance.

Something about the kid had changed drastically. Or maybe it hadn't, and they had somehow just missed what had already been there. He had, after all, refused to back down when threatened, and had even tracked them down to the warehouse just to retrieve Jounouchi. Those actions screamed confidence, even if his physical form and overall attitude didn't suggest he would be capable of it. Had the submissive attitude all been an act?

(And had his eyes always been that shade of burning red?)

A few seconds passed, and no one moved. Once he was confident that none of them would be causing any trouble in the immediate future, the spirit allowed himself to focus on his surroundings. Two in particular stood out to him.

He glimpsed the card table, then looked at the huge puddle spanning most of the warehouse floor, and a spark of an idea formed in his head.

He looked at the gang leader.

"You seem fond of games." He said, staring into Hirutani's eyes. "Well then. We'll play a game."

The spirit stepped closer. "If you manage to pin me down in the next, let's say, five minutes, I'll stay here, and you can keep the Puzzle and do anything you like to me, including carry out the plan you already have to murder me. Your group of thugs can even help you catch me. If I win, though… well, I think I will come to a decision when it happens. So, what do you say?"

Hirutani scoffed, obviously believing he'd practically already won the game. The odds were stacked in his favor. And even with the boy wielding a taser, it wouldn't be too difficult to just grab him now and be done with it, but something, some unfamiliar part of his mind, begged him to play.

"I accept." He said, smirking. The boy smirked back, and two words left his lips, feeling as natural to the spirit as breathing was to a human.

"Game start."

* * *

The spirit stood atop a catwalk, the gang thundering up a set of stairs only a few seconds behind him.

Narrowed eyes scanned the surroundings, and he took stock of potential assets and setbacks. An especially rusted section of grating. A huge metal shipping crate. Two chains hanging from the ceiling, one of them off to the side and out of reach and the other closer, with a link near the end caught in a loose hold between two bars on the railing. The gap between the shipping crate and the end of the catwalk was about fifteen feet across and eight feet down.

Dashing forward and avoiding the rusted grating, he unhooked the closer chain from the railing. He quickly determined his trajectory before making a running leap, angling himself so that the chain would swing to the side when he let go and tangle with the second chain, keeping his pursuers from using either of them to reach him. Releasing his hold on the metal links, he alighted on the shipping crate, rolling with the momentum to prevent furthering his injuries.

He looked back up just in time to see his predictions come true. The chains tangled with each other. Several gang members stampeded along the unstable catwalk. One of them broke through part of the grating and became stuck. The others behind him tripped and landed harshly, adding to the strain already being put on the fatigued structure.

An ominous groan echoed around the walls of the warehouse before the catwalk finally gave way with a defeated shriek of abused metal. Curses and shouts of panic joined the cacophony as the grating and gang members all fell to the rain-soaked floor.

The noise continued even after they hit the ground, several of the men screaming in pain at various injuries. The spirit cocked his head slightly as he observed them, and his lips quirked up at the corners when he spotted the thug who had gotten stuck in the rusted grating, appreciating the unique and interesting new angles the man's leg had been bent into.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the taser he'd snatched earlier. Almost absently, he glanced between it and the shallow pool of water that stretched across more than half the floor, then went back to studying the pitiful humans splashing around in the filthy puddle. Water and electricity. So simple. He hadn't even needed to use his Shadows this time.

"Well, well…" he murmured, flicking the taser on before carefully using the sleeve of his jacket to wipe his host's fingerprints from it. He held his arm out past the side of the shipping crate so that the device hovered over the edge of the large puddle.

"A group of stupid, thuggish mortals have somehow managed to lose a game against an ancient spirit." His mouth curled into a smirk. "How… _shocking."_

The taser fell.

* * *

Yuugi blinked, eyes coming into focus. Worn bricks. Cracked pavement. Muddy water. Crumpled takeout wrappers. Smashed bottles.

A typical back alley in Domino City.

He took a breath. There was a faint scent of petrichor from recent precipitation meeting the few plants growing in the area, with a hint of the familiar and ever-present smell of city air pollution that managed to linger despite the cleansing rainfall.

A heavy weight hung around his shoulders, his right arm was wrapped part way around a torso broader than his own, and his left hand was clasping another, larger one. He turned his neck to look to the side. Inches from his face was a head of blonde hair framing a groggy expression: clammy skin, half-lidded, unfocused eyes, a grimacing mouth, and a forehead pinched in what looked like severe discomfort. Jounouchi-kun.

"Jounouchi-kun?" Yuugi said worriedly, and the blonde let out a tiny moan in response, probably only half aware that Yuugi had spoken. The smaller teen wished he could stop and sit Jounouchi down to have a proper look at him, but the ground was pretty much one big, cold puddle, and both of them were already chilled and shivering.

A dip in the ground made Jounouchi stumble, the movement jarring, and he released another miserable moan. Yuugi stopped walking for a moment to allow him some time to recover, and was struck by an overwhelming need to make him feel at least a little bit better.

There wasn't much he could do about Jounouchi's condition here in an alley, but he made do with what he had and just hugged his friend, trying to pour all of his concern and affection into the embrace. To his surprise, a few seconds after initiating the hug, Jounouchi seemed to relax, and when Yuugi looked up at the other boy's face, many of the pained creases had been smoothed out. He even looked more alert. Yuugi smiled with relief when Jounouchi hugged back.

* * *

The spirit could feel the glow cast by Yuugi's soul shift before a small wisp of light was siphoned off and channeled, unknowingly, through the boy's arms and into his friend's body. The change was subtle at first; Jounouchi showed no sign of improvement for a few seconds. Then, slowly, he started to relax.

The spirit was shocked. This was… unexpected.

He had noticed Jounouchi's heightened awareness of soul energy soon after first meeting him. Whenever the blonde was around and the spirit surfaced enough to look at the world through Yuugi's eyes, Jounouchi's expression always became slightly confused, his subconscious noticing the shift in energies through the use of his untapped sixth sense but the rest of his mind not knowing what had changed.

The spirit had never expected such a reaction, but somehow, Jounouchi's spiritual sensitivity combined with Yuugi's good intentions and naturally bright soul had managed to physically affect the taller human boy.

He sat in the main chamber of his prison, mulling over the intriguing development.

* * *

"-should've never split up!" A frustrated and near-panicked voice reached their ears. Yuugi and Jounouchi broke from their hug as they recognized the voice. It was Honda!

"Yuugi! Yuugi!"

"Over here, Honda-kun!" Yuugi called. Footsteps echoed off brick walls for several seconds, and then Honda appeared at the mouth of the alley, quickly spotting them.

"Yuugi! Jounouchi! What happened to you guys?" He asked, running towards them. Though his eyes were still wide with worry, a relieved grin split his face at finding them.

Jounouchi slowly stepped back from Yuugi a bit, no longer needing the help to stand up. "Those cowards jumped me and brought me back to our old stomping grounds. Took out some tasers and, uh, I'm not sure what happened after that. Besides the obvious, of course." He answered.

Honda looked at Yuugi questioningly, but the shorter boy shook his head with a slight frown.

"I don't know, either. I mean, I remember hearing voices and using that to find Jounouchi-kun, and I remember they were hurting us, but after that, nothing."

Honda opened his mouth to inquire further, then paused. He smiled. "You know what? It doesn't matter. Let's just go home."

The others were only too happy to oblige.

* * *

Yuugi walked up the stairs into the living room, and Sugoroku immediately stood from the couch to wrap his cold, drenched grandson in a hug. Amidst his shivering, Yuugi explained that they'd gotten Jounouchi back, and that he was sorry for not saying anything and for being gone for so long and that he'd make up for it by helping out extra in the shop, but Sugoroku hushed him.

"Shh, none of that now. I'm just glad you're safe," he whispered, and hugged the boy tighter. Yuugi shut his eyes, and the two stood there and simply breathed together for a few moments before Sugoroku sat him down on the sofa with a soft quilt and fetched them both some hot tea.

Unfortunately, the feeling of warmth and security couldn't last forever. That night, Yuugi dreamed of ropes, and pain, and damp, cold warehouses. He dreamed of a monster with many human faces that sneered at him and his friend as it beat Yuugi with its many fists and attacked Jounouchi with lightning. Yuugi dreamed of hopelessness.

Then an inky black cloud with piercing, ruby red eyes appeared before them in the dream and stole the lightning, using it against the monster, and he and Jounouchi were free.

Yuugi awoke and the dream was swiftly forgotten. He went about as normal, getting ready for the day. Later, he overheard a conversation in the hall about an entire gang that had been found electrocuted to death. A shudder went down his spine and his lungs suddenly felt too constricted. He told himself that they were normal reactions to hearing such disturbing news, despite something inside him whispering that there was more to it than that. He ignored it.

When school let out later on in the day, Chono-sensei ducked into the library just to avoid him, and a niggle of awful satisfaction squirmed in his chest. He did his best to ignore that too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: gang violence, blood, descriptions of injury, drug and alcohol use, discussions of homicide, and death of background characters


	11. Hypothesis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So um, sorry guys, but this one's pretty short and a bit of a filler chapter. It does, however, contain info that's relevant and pretty important in the next few chapters, so it serves its purpose. I've tried to make it enjoyable, though, and the next chapter is going to be a more normal length, so there is that :)

** _Previously:_ **

_That night, Yuugi dreamed of ropes, and pain, and damp, cold warehouses. He dreamed of a monster with many human faces that sneered at him and his friend as it beat Yuugi with its many fists and attacked Jounouchi with lightning. Yuugi dreamed of hopelessness._

_Then an inky black cloud with piercing, ruby red eyes appeared before them in the dream and stole the lightning, using it against the monster, and he and Jounouchi were free._

_Yuugi awoke and the dream was swiftly forgotten. He went about as normal, getting ready for the day. Later, he overheard a conversation in the hall about an entire gang that had been found electrocuted to death. A shudder went down his spine and his lungs suddenly felt too constricted. He told himself that they were normal reactions to hearing such disturbing news, despite something inside him whispering that there was more to it than that. He ignored it._

_When school let out later on in the day, Chono-sensei ducked into the library just to avoid him, and a niggle of awful satisfaction squirmed in his chest again. He did his best to ignore that too._

* * *

Jounouchi ended up not even needing to visit a hospital. He recovered astonishingly quickly from what would normally be enough electricity to cause a person serious damage. Jounouchi's dad was in no state to handle medical expenses, and even the blonde himself couldn't be sure if his estranged mother would be willing to pay the hospital bills. The three friends were grateful that there was no permanent or long-lasting damage.

And as for Yuugi, well… his odd streak of inexplicable healing was still at it; despite being sure he'd dislocated at least a few joints and had a couple broken bones, he was mostly just sore now, and was somehow able to move uninhibited. There was a pulsing warmth that emanated from the Puzzle whenever he thought about it, and he was pretty sure he knew what was healing him.

Honda, Yuugi noticed, had become more relaxed around him, now that the smaller teen had seen and experienced the evidence of Jounouchi's dark past and stuck by the blonde's side regardless. Jounouchi had reacted similarly, though he also became a little more tactile in his interactions with both of his friends. Honda had seemed kind of unnerved at first, but soon shrugged it off and went along with it. Yuugi, while still sort of hesitant about being so close to anyone besides his grandpa, had always been the most physically affectionate of the three, and was quick to accept and even welcome the change of behavior.

Jounouchi obviously needed the frequent physical contact as reassurance that his friends were still with him, that they were ready, willing, and able to help if he ever got in over his head again. Yuugi was beyond relieved that the blonde was reaching out to them instead of pushing them away, and he suspected Honda felt the same.

Yuugi was brought out of his thoughts by the bell, and grabbed his backpack from its hook. Honda and Jounouchi were already zipping out of the classroom by the time he started moving away from his desk, Jounouchi pursuing Honda, who had something in his hand that Yuugi guessed was probably stolen from the blonde. When he caught up to the two, they were roughhousing and arguing, though the sparkle in each of their eyes told Yuugi that it was all in good fun.

Jounouchi noticed him looking and broke away, smirking. Yuugi's eyes widened at the expression, but before he could flee the blonde was ruffling his hair. He floundered and tried to duck while his friends laughed, before eventually giving up and starting to giggle himself. They all shared a smile before leaving for the day.

* * *

For once, the spirit took no notice of the goings on of the outside world. Instead, he stood in one of the dark stone corridors and stared at his hands in amazement, turning them over and flexing his fingers and observing it all. Beneath a thick layer of darkness that had made up his form for as long as he could remember, was a distinctly pale skin tone, and the same phenomenon was visible along his arms, legs and torso; a blue school uniform, a buckled sleeveless top, dark leather wristbands and choker; a replica of the Millennium Puzzle even hung from a cord around his neck, which was what had caught his attention in the first place.

Until now, there hadn't been any reflective surfaces in his prison, so he had never had a way to know what he fully looked like. It was true that he could see his arms and such, though since there was no reason to look at them, he usually didn't. But now, he was excited, and fascinated, and thankfully he had a means of satisfying his curiosity.

He grasped the replica Puzzle and held it before him. Reflected on the gold surface, past the layer of darkness, was Yuugi's soft, familiar face and gently curving jaw, made just the slightest bit sharper on the spirit by the difference in expressions.

His eyes, though large like his Light's, were narrowed and piercing and the same burning red as when he was in control of Yuugi's body, and he found himself feeling a little disappointed they weren't a soft violet. His bewildered elation at the change in his appearance didn't allow him to dwell on it, though.

And anyway, he had other matters to ponder. Such as, for example, what all this could mean for him in the future. He was excited that it had happened, but, just _how_ had it happened? And why now?

He lowered the Puzzle replica and let it rest back on his chest.

Perhaps… perhaps it was connected with what he had done in the warehouse. He had set up a game of sorts, and Yuugi liked games, too, after all. A thought suddenly came to mind that brought with it a surge of excitement. Would becoming more like Yuugi allow him to contact his Light? The idea was intoxicating, thrilling. He lifted a hand once again, admiring its realism, and a few of his Shadows swirled around it with obvious approval and delight. He felt the corners of his lips twitch upward.

If there was a chance that playing games (which, he discovered, was actually really enjoyable) was all he had to do to grow closer to Yuugi, he would gladly create games to play with every single person he punished.


	12. News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is this? A new chapter, up just two weeks after the previous one was posted? Some very strange sorcery must be afoot here…
> 
> Anyway, thanks to everyone who's been reading my story, and digital cookies to everyone who's reviewed. You people are amazing!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.
> 
> Chapter start!

_Yuugi stared down at the newspaper in his hands, one from a few days prior, while his grandpa peered over his shoulder curiously. He re-read the main and secondary headlines one more time._

_ **NEW TOMB FOUND IN EGYPT** _

_ **Domino University Archaeological Team Discovers Tomb From New Kingdom Era (1580-1314 BC)** _

_"Wow! Domino's archaeology team found a pharaoh's tomb!" He exclaimed rather unnecessarily, too immersed in the headline and the text that followed to care. His excitement was a good distraction from the nervousness he was feeling about starting high school in a few days. His eyes widened further at the next bit that caught his attention, and he added, "It was still full of treasure when they uncovered it; nothing seemed to be missing. That means they really were the first ones to discover it!"_

* * *

Four months later, Yuugi stared down at the main and secondary headlines of another newspaper, one from a few days prior, and was struck with a sense of déjà vu.

**EGYPT UNEARTHED**

**Domino City Museum Now Home to New Egyptian Exhibit**

"Yuugi, if you're still here in five minutes you'll be late for school!"

The voice of one Sugoroku Mutou coming from not too far away stopped him from reading much further. He glanced at the clock on the microwave and realized that the man had spoken the truth.

Having no time for the jar of strawberry jam sitting next to it, he snagged a piece of dry toast from the kitchen table and dashed for the stairs to the shop, catching up to and surpassing his grandpa halfway down them.

"Whoa, slow down there! You've still got a couple of minutes to spare; there's no need to be bowling over any old people just yet!" Sugoroku admonished playfully. Yuugi's cheeks flushed pink.

"Sorry, Jii-chan," he apologized. He ducked his head sheepishly, almost smashing his toast when he went to clasp his hands behind his back.

"Don't you worry about it, my boy." The man said, chuckling.

Then Yuugi remembered what he'd just read in the paper, and a smile spread across his face.

"Hey, Jii-chan! The paper said there's a new exhibit at the museum, one on ancient Egypt! And it's opening _tomorrow_! Isn't that great?" He gushed excitedly.

"Yes, that's wonderful, and yes, I'm aware of that." Sugoroku smiled in fond amusement at his grandson's enthusiasm. "In fact, I just so happen to be friends with the man who discovered the tomb and the artifacts that will be on display." Yuugi looked interested at that bit of information. Sugoroku's grin widened and became more amused, his eyes sparkling with a lighthearted (if not _completely_ innocent) light. He quirked an eyebrow. "Besides, who do you think opened the paper to the page it was on?"

Yuugi blushed again, gaze wandering in embarrassment until it landed on the clock on the wall of the shop.

"Gah! Gotta go!" He narrowly dodged a shelf stuffed with merchandise and headed for the door.

"Yes, you'd best be off, now!" Sugoroku agreed. "After all, if you get in trouble at school, it could interfere with any plans you might have to, oh, say, visit the museum tomorrow? Perhaps with a few friends?"

The teenager spun back around to look at him with wide eyes. The old man winked. Yuugi beamed.

"Thank you, Jii-chan!" He exclaimed, then resumed his dash for the door. When he went to open it, he noticed the piece of toast he was still holding and stuffed as much of it as he could into his mouth, the rest of it poking out comically. Sugoroku saw this and frowned, heading after Yuugi. He caught the door just in time to stop it from closing and poked his head out to call to his grandson.

"Yuugi! How many times do I have to tell you to finish your breakfast _before_ you leave?"

A muffled, barely audible apology drifted back to him from farther down the street, and Sugoroku shook his head, both in exasperation and affection. Then he grinned. He would tell Yuugi that he'd gotten them free admission to the museum – along with their very own guide who just so happened to be the man who'd discovered the tomb – when the boy got back from school.

* * *

Yuugi couldn't stop smiling. Not during the bus ride, not on the walk into the school building, and not as he sat down at his desk. His unwavering expression of joy had attracted more than a few odd glances, but honestly, he couldn't care less about that. He was just too excited and happy for it to really matter.

A few minutes passed, and students went from trickling in at an unhurried pace to rushing through the door as the clock ticked closer to the start of class. Jounouchi raced into the room and dove for his seat, making it there with one whole second to spare before the final bell went off.

Class began, and Honda noticed Yuugi's smile not long after. He seemed a bit curious about it, but apparently decided it wasn't worth it to inquire about it at the moment. Jounouchi finally noticed the huge grin on Yuugi's face when his friend's name was called during roll. He sent a quizzical look the smaller teen's way, but Yuugi just shook his head and tilted it towards the front of the room, signifying that he'd tell him once class was over. A tiny, unintentional pout graced Jounouchi's lips, and Yuugi had to fight not to giggle at seeing that expression on the face of a supposed ruffian.

He felt a little bad for not trying to send any written messages explaining things to his friend, and a little worse for not acknowledging the two crumpled messages Jounouchi had surreptitiously chucked his way before giving up, but he wanted to be on his very best behavior to eliminate any chance of getting in trouble. He'd never been caught in his note sending before (probably due in part to him only recently gaining anyone to send notes _to_) but he figured it was better to be safe than sorry, so he didn't risk it. He was sure Jounouchi-kun could handle the wait.

* * *

The teacher's voice was an annoying drone in Jounouchi's ears, like an invisible fly that he couldn't swat buzzing around his head. He glanced up at the clock on the wall for what had to be the hundredth time since class began. His left eye twitched. Time seemed to be progressing at an agonizingly slow rate, and he wasn't sure he could take much more of this waiting. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Two more minutes. Just two more minutes, and then he could ask Yuugi just what was going on. Though at this rate, two more minutes would probably feel more like half an hour.

He didn't really know why he was so curious. All he knew was that his strange curiosity was driving him absolutely _nuts_! He wracked his brain for some explanation, but came up with nothing. Then he found that he really wasn't curious about _why_ he was interested in knowing what had made Yuugi so happy. Which was weird, considering how curious he currently was about other things, such as, well, _knowing what had made Yuugi so happy_. He glanced over at the other boy again to see that, though it was smaller and more relaxed than it'd been when class had started, there was _still_ a smile on Yuugi's face.

_Jeez! What the heck could be so amazing that he still hasn't stopped smiling? Haven't his cheeks started hurting yet?_

Maybe he hadn't been smiling the whole time. It was entirely possible. Even if that smile had been there during every one of the thirty or so times Jounouchi had checked.

Suddenly the bell went off, and Jounouchi nearly fell out of his seat in surprise. Then the meaning of the noise sank in, and he was filled with delight, forming a smile of his own. It seemed that his musings had managed to preoccupy him enough to make the two minutes actually feel like two minutes instead of thirty.

He immediately dashed towards Yuugi, slapping his hands down on his desk. Startled, the smaller teen jumped. His smile dropped for what Jounouchi suspected was the first time all day as he froze, an automatic reaction he'd been unable to shake. Jounouchi frowned a little at the response, realizing his mistake and feeling bad about it. Honda had gotten up by now and was wandering over to listen in.

"Alright, spill," Jounouchi said, his voice coming out calmer and quieter than what he'd previously planned in an unconscious attempt to soothe Yuugi's nerves, though his natural impatience didn't allow for too much change from his normal, boisterous tone. "Why the heck are you so happy?"

That snapped Yuugi out of his startled, rigid stance. As if a switch had been flipped, his grin returned in full force, his muscles relaxing for a moment before tensing up again, this time with excitement, and he almost seemed to start vibrating in anticipation of finally being able to share the good news with his friend. He glanced to the side and saw that Honda was there, too. Make that friends, plural. Somehow, his grin widened further. He happily told the two about what he'd read in the paper.

"An Egyptian exhibit?" Jounouchi and Honda said at the same time and in the same tone, glancing at each other in surprise for a moment before focusing back on Yuugi.

"Yup! It's opening tomorrow at the Domino City Museum! Jii-chan used to be an archaeologist – still is, I guess, even though he doesn't do the digging and exploring parts anymore. But that's probably how he met and became friends with the man who found the tomb. Anyway, Jii-chan said I can go see the exhibit, and that I can invite friends!" Yuugi told them.

"Now that you mentioned it, I think I might have actually read about that exhibit in the paper, too." Jounouchi said thoughtfully. "Yeah, that's right. And I remember it talked about the guy your grandpa knows, too. What was it, Yoshi… Yoshimori or something?" He asked, looking to Yuugi for confirmation. The other teen just shrugged.

"I'm not sure, actually. I didn't find out about it until earlier this morning, and I was kind of pushed for time."

Jounouchi nodded in understanding. Then he got a more focused look. "I kinda forgot about the exhibit 'til now, since I figured there was no way I was gonna get to see it." He grinned. "But hey, your gramps did mention you could invite friends. Me and Honda wouldn't happen to fall into that category, would we?"

"Of course you do, Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi replied. He turned to the brown haired teen, who had been quiet thus far. "Do you want to come, too, Honda-kun?" Honda looked a little surprised at being so directly and comfortably addressed by someone who, just three months ago, couldn't look him in the eye for more than a second or speak to him without stuttering. He quickly shook off his surprise and answered.

"Sure." He said. "It sounds interesting, and I've got nothing better to do tomorrow." The blonde took a moment to relish how free he felt now that he was no longer under Hirutani's thumb. He smiled along with the rush of gratitude towards Yuugi and Honda for their part in liberating him from the grasp of Hirutani and his gang.

Yuugi, meanwhile, looked about ready to do a victory dance.

Honda tilted his head slightly in thought, realizing that, like Jounouchi, he'd also heard something about the exhibit, and then forgotten about it until now. Though he now remembered that he'd heard about it from a short clip on TV rather than reading it in the paper.

"Didn't they find a mummy?" He asked, pretty sure that'd been on the news.

Jounouchi suddenly paled, and his enthusiasm was brought down several notches. "A _mummy?!"_ He yelped. The blonde shuddered and hugged his arms, which had developed clearly visible goosebumps. "There's a mummy?! I don't wanna get cursed!" He looked ready to bolt.

"You're _not_ gonna get cursed, you idiot," Honda said. "Curses. Aren't. Real." He sounded exasperated, as though he'd had to tell Jounouchi the same thing many times before.

"Are too! You just don't wanna admit it 'cause you're too scared!" Jounouchi argued. Yuugi watched the exchange with interest. Then Jounouchi dragged him into it by saying, "Curses exist, don't they, Yuugi?"

Yuugi stuttered for a second. "Ah, w-well-"

"See, Honda? Yuugi agrees with me!" Jounouchi interrupted before Yuugi could finish. Suddenly he went still. "Wait a second." He slowly turned to look at his shorter friend. "Didn't you say your puzzle's from Egypt?" He eyed said object suspiciously.

He'd gotten used to seeing the thing around Yuugi's neck all the time, so looking at it no longer made him feel unsettled, but he could still remember the feeling of unease that had been present the entire time he'd had the eye piece in his possession.

"It hasn't been around any mummies, has it?" He asked. His eyes grew wide at the thought.

"Yuugi! Are you alright?" He leaned in closer to his friend, examining him with his suddenly sharp gaze as if it would reveal some previously unnoticed problem. "You aren't _cursed_, are you?!"

Yuugi, who had jerked back at the sudden invasion of his personal space, gaped at the panicking blonde, his own eyes wide. "What? Of course I'm not cursed!" He denied. "It's been eight years since I got the Millennium Puzzle and three months since I completed it, and so far there haven't been any signs that I'm cursed. I think if the puzzle _was_ going to curse me, it would've done it by now."

Jounouchi paused his examination at that, unable to argue with what Yuugi had said. Partly because he hadn't known Yuugi for long enough to have noticed anything wrong with him until three months ago, and therefore couldn't claim that his statement was untrue. And partly because in the three months he _had_ known the other teen, he'd seen for himself that there was nothing that seemed off about him (except, perhaps, for the little quirks that were just a part of what made Yuugi Yuugi.) He backed off, mostly satisfied, at least for the time being.

Yuugi gave him a disarming smile, but inside a little bit of worry niggled at him as Jounouchi's fears brought a worry of his own back to the surface. Because it had been about a week since the last episode, he'd managed to bury the worry he always felt – and ignored and suppressed – when he thought about the recurring lapses in his memory that he'd recently been having. For some reason, it never took very long to bury his unease about his situation, nor was it ever as hard as he thought it probably should be.

_Ever since I completed the Puzzle, there have been times when I blank out, or forget what just happened. _He looked at Jounouchi, who'd started arguing with Honda again without Yuugi noticing. _I'd better not tell anyone. They'd think there's something wrong with me…_

The first time he'd blanked out, he'd slipped up and spilled everything to Jounouchi. That time, Jounouchi had just reassured him and accepted it, but he hadn't mentioned any of the other times since then, so the blonde had probably thought it was only a one time thing, a result of the concussion he'd gotten.

Now that the topic of curses had been brought up, Jounouchi would probably come right back to the same conclusion he'd just made if he ever found out that there had been almost a dozen occurrences of memory loss since the first one. Yuugi recalled Jounouchi's reaction to the mere mention of mummies and curses, and his gut twisted at the thought of his friend fearing _him_ in any way.

Yes, this was something that he would definitely have to keep a secret.

"So, how about it? Is tomorrow at 1:00 alright?" Yuugi was pulled from his thoughts when a question from Honda was directed at him. Jounouchi turned to look at him, too. Oddly enough, his confrontation with Honda seemed to have actually calmed him down, since he no longer looked adverse to the idea of going to the museum. Apparently, the two taller boys had settled their argument (for now).

For a moment, Yuugi wondered why they both seemed to be waiting for his permission or final decision or something, rather than all three of them having a discussion where everyone's input was of equal importance. Then he realized it was because he was the one who'd offered to bring them along.

"That sounds good." He said, still a bit uncomfortable at having more say than anyone else, but also understanding why. "The museum's all I have planned for tomorrow. I'm pretty sure it's all Jii-chan has planned, too, and he seemed interested in going. The shop is closed on the weekend, so I'm sure he'd also be able to make it. What about you, Jounouchi-kun? Is 1:00 okay?"

Jounouchi shrugged casually. "Whenever's fine. I haven't got anything better to do."

Yuugi's grin returned, ecstatic that not only did he get to see the exhibit, but that things had worked out alright for everyone and they would all be able to go. He couldn't wait!

Honda suddenly smirked and muttered something under his breath. Something that Yuugi couldn't understand, but that Jounouchi, who was standing closer to him than Yuugi was, apparently had, judging by the way he immediately bristled before throwing several unflattering and rather colorful insults back at the now laughing brunette. The civility they'd displayed while they were planning had disappeared, the temporary stopper in their earlier argument having obviously been removed.

Yuugi cringed at the language Jounouchi was using, suddenly very glad that the teacher had left the room. He decided to block out the two squabbling teens for the moment. Instead, he held the Millennium Puzzle and brought his focus back to their plans for tomorrow, looking happily at the item as he imagined what a great time they were all going to have at the museum.

His eyes became slightly unfocused for a few seconds before returning to normal, and his hands went from casually holding the puzzle to gently cradling it as the draw he'd always felt towards it was renewed. Concern and anxiety about his memory loss had once again been buried in a very short amount of time.

Jounouchi growled at Honda as the jerk continued to snicker while darting out into the hall, and he was about to go after him when he noticed Yuugi again. Sheesh, he'd forgotten he was still sitting there. The guy could be so quiet sometimes that he completely escaped anyone's notice, even with that crazy hair of his. Curious and just a little concerned about the other's silence, Jounouchi settled his gaze on him.

His main concern – that Yuugi was upset about something – was immediately proven to be unfounded when Jounouchi saw the small but content smile on his lips. However, that concern was replaced by another when he noticed the way that his friend was staring down at the golden puzzle in his hands, his eyes slightly unfocused and filled with a look of dreamy tenderness, his mind obviously far away from the classroom.

Jounouchi cast a faintly suspicious glare at the puzzle, barely stopping himself from wrinkling his nose in distaste. He'd never understand why Yuugi liked that thing so much. Sure, Jounouchi hadn't gotten that downright creepy feeling from it since the first time he'd held a piece of it, but the very fact that it had caused him to feel that in the first place was unsettling by itself. Plus, now that he knew a bit more about its origins – and possible connection to mummies (he shuddered) – he couldn't just pass the feeling off as him being stupid and extremely paranoid.

The puzzle may not have cursed anyone (at least, not as far as he knew) but he would bet both of his legs that the thing itself was cursed. Jounouchi looked back at the other teen.

For now, it appeared that there was nothing going on except Yuugi still being really happy that he had finally managed to solve the puzzle he'd spent more than half his life working on. But that might change at any moment. Unfortunately, he knew that he'd never be able to separate the other teen from his most prized possession.

His mind brought him back to a day not all that long ago and repeated to him the memory of looking down into wide, soulful eyes, which looked back up at him in despair while their owner literally begged Jounouchi to return the precious thing he'd stolen and was tossing around carelessly. As always, the memory of his cruelty that day caused his insides to squirm with guilt. Later on that same day, the smaller teen had given Jounouchi a second chance, placed his trust in him, and been willing to use himself as a human shield to protect Jounouchi and Honda from someone who must have been at least three or four times his own size.

And that wasn't even touching on how Yuugi had tried to save Jounouchi from Hirutani and his gang.

It had been bad enough that he'd taken something so important to Yuugi then, before either of them had truly known each other. Trying to take it away from Yuugi _now_, after everything the other boy had done for him, would be a horrible betrayal. It would not only ruin their friendship and destroy Yuugi's trust in him, it would also completely break Yuugi's heart. No, he decided. There was no way he could ever do that to his friend. But that still left him with the dilemma of not knowing how he would keep Yuugi safe.

Jounouchi couldn't think of anything that would completely ensure the other's safety. While he was quite good at thinking on his feet, strategizing and coming up with sound, permanent solutions were definitely not his strong points. For a few moments, a feeling of helplessness fell over him. Before it could start weighing him down any further, he angrily grabbed the emotion, crumpled it into a ball and hurled it away.

He came to a decision then: screw strategy. He was doing things _his _way. If anything tried hurting his friend, he'd face it head on like he did with anything else. He nodded his head in conviction.

Jounouchi would make sure to watch Yuugi carefully, and if that hunk of metal even _thought_ about putting a curse on his buddy, he'd find a way to make it wish it had never been created.


	13. The Museum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS are listed at the end of the chapter.
> 
> Chapter start!

** _Previously:_ **

_Jounouchi cast a faintly suspicious glare at the puzzle, barely stopping himself from wrinkling his nose in distaste. The artifact may not have cursed anyone (at least, not as far as he knew), but he would bet both of his legs that the thing itself was cursed. Jounouchi looked back at the other teen._

_For now, it appeared that there was nothing going on except Yuugi still being really happy that he had finally managed to solve the puzzle he'd spent more than half his life working on. But that might change at any moment. Unfortunately, he knew that he'd never be able to separate the other teen from his most prized possession, and he couldn't think of anything that would completely ensure the other's safety. While he was quite good at thinking on his feet, strategizing and coming up with sound, permanent solutions were definitely not his strong points. For a few moments, a feeling of helplessness fell over him. Before it could start weighing him down any further, he angrily grabbed the emotion, crumpled it into a ball and hurled it away._

_He came to a decision then: screw strategy. He was doing things _his _way. If anything tried hurting his friend, he'd face it head on like he did with anything else. He nodded his head in conviction._

_Jounouchi would make sure to watch Yuugi carefully, and if that hunk of metal even _thought _about putting a curse on his little buddy, he'd find a way to make it wish it had never been created._

* * *

The three boys, joined by Yuugi's grandfather, stood outside the double doors to Domino Museum the next day. Sugoroku glanced at his watch. It read 1:14 in the afternoon. The corners of his mouth turned downward in a small frown.

"Hmm… my friend was supposed to meet us here," he muttered, as much to himself as to the teens. "Let's wait a bit longer."

Jounouchi, bored and distracted, was apparently looking for anything to keep him occupied. He noticed what Yuugi was wearing and asked, "Yuugi, why are you wearing your school uniform on the weekend?"

Yuugi glanced down at his clothes, then over at Jounouchi's jeans and t-shirt, and seemed to ponder the question. "…Well… why not?"

"Because it's not a school day?"

Yuugi opened his mouth to respond.

"Mutou-san!" A voice shouted, and Yuugi looked around, trying to spot who had said it.

"Ah, here he comes now!" Sugoroku exclaimed happily.

Yuugi turned to follow his grandfather's line of sight and saw a relatively tall man with gray-streaked brown hair, brown eyes, and a neatly-trimmed beard walking towards the group with a small smile.

"It's been a while, friend. Good to see you," the man said as he approached. "Sorry I'm late; something came up that I couldn't avoid. Thanks for coming." He shook Sugoroku's hand warmly.

"No, thank _you_ for inviting us," Sugoroku countered, giving the taller man a friendly pat on the back. "Let me introduce you. Boys, this is Professor Yoshimori."

The man, Yoshimori, dipped his head politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Same here," Honda told him.

"Hey, I recognize you," said Jounouchi. "You're the guy who found the pharaoh's tomb, right?"

The man nodded. "That's me."

Sugoroku finally noticed the stout man standing to Yoshimori's left, slightly farther back from the group. "Ah, and who might this be?" Sugoroku asked.

"Oh, that's right!" Yoshimori said, glancing back. "This is the owner of the Domino City Museum. He provided the grant for the excavation and is sponsoring this exhibit." The man stepped forward.

"Kanekura's the name. Yoshimori here has spoken quite highly of you and your prowess in the field of archaeology, Mutou-san. As such, it's an honor to welcome you to my museum." Sugoroku couldn't help but laugh.

"An honor, you say? It sounds like Yoshimori-kun's been exaggerating my supposed 'prowess', then, Kanekura-san!" He said, amusement coloring his voice. "And there's no need to address me so formally. Please, call me Sugoroku." Kanekura chuckled lightly.

"Alright then, Sugoroku. Likewise, you needn't address me as Kanekura-san. Just Kanekura is fine."

Yuugi's focus was suddenly drawn away from the conversing men, their voices fading into white noise. There was a tug in his chest, and he could both hear and feel his heartbeat, slightly faster than usual, pounding in his ears and further muffling other sounds. The air seemed to crackle with something like static electricity, and the Puzzle nearly pulsed, resonating with something nearby. He felt a shift at the edge of his consciousness, a faint prickle in his mind that caused the fine hairs on the back of his neck to rise. It felt like someone was watching him.

"-is Yuugi, my grandson. He's the one who solved it."

"Huh?" Yuugi said, brought back to the conversation upon hearing his name.

Yoshimori looked to him. "Ah, so you're the grandson I've heard so much about."

Kanekura suddenly became focused on Yuugi. Or rather, he became focused on what was around Yuugi's neck.

"My word…" the man breathed. "This is it? This is truly the legendary Millennium Puzzle? You must show it to me!" Without waiting for permission, he grabbed the artifact, too preoccupied to notice the cord tugging at Yuugi's throat. "T-this is _wonderful!_ Such an important piece of history… and it's hanging around your _neck!"_ Yuugi gagged and stepped closer to the man to keep himself from being strangled.

"Kanekura-san here makes his living in the art business; he has an eye for antiquities," Yoshimori explained. Yuugi suddenly forgot about the troublesome situation he was in, shocked. Sure, he'd known that the Millennium Puzzle was valuable, being made of gold and all, not to mention the sentimental value that made it priceless to him, but the way Kanekura-san had described the golden pendant, and the way he was now staring at it in awe, told Yuugi that it was probably much more valuable in a monetary sense than he'd thought.

He finally took hold of the Puzzle, letting out a nervous laugh. His grip was abnormally firm as he took the pendant back from Kanekura.

"Yuugi-kun, I beg you!" Kanekura pleaded. "People have _got_ to see this! Let me display it at the exhibit!"

Yuugi took a step back, alarmed. "Wh-what?"

"_Please!_" The man literally dropped to his knees, and Yuugi was torn. He couldn't let go of his Puzzle for that long. His mind violently rebelled against the very idea.

_What should I do?_

After several moments of indecision, he finally answered, "W-well… how about just for one day?"

"Oh, that's completely fine. One day is plenty! Thank you, Yuugi-kun!" Kanekura said, eyes fixed on the Puzzle as he carefully lifted the cord from around Yuugi's neck. If he noticed the boy shiver at the loss of contact with the item, he didn't show it.

* * *

"Whoa…" Honda whispered as he gaped at the treasure surrounding him.

Jounouchi was similarly awestruck. "So all this belongs to the person who dug it up?" He asked, near breathless. His fingertips lightly brushed a glass display case that held an intricate gold necklace inlaid with rubies the size of his own wide eyes.

"Wouldn't that be nice?" Yoshimori laughed. "Until 1921, the excavator could keep up to half of the artifacts he found, but now they belong to the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. It's cultural property – illegal to sell, because it's so precious. The man who discovered the famous treasures of Tutankhamun didn't get to keep even _one _of the artifacts he found."

"Oh," Yuugi said, surprised. "I, um… please don't take this the wrong way, but… I thought most archaeologists were just treasure hunters wanting to make money off their finds…"

Sugoroku, overhearing this, squawked with outrage, but Yoshimori only chuckled.

"No, that's just in the movies. Archaeology is actually one of the _worst _paid professions. But when, after months or even years of searching, you open the door to a piece of history that no one has seen before, there's an _excitement_ that you can't begin to describe. That's what I'm in for."

"That's Yoshimori-kun for you: his passion has always been adventure over profit." Sugoroku said, grinning.

"You're one to talk," Yoshimori retorted with a grin of his own. "If I recall correctly, you used to purposely seek out the more dangerous sites just for fun back in the day!" The two shared a laugh.

Kanekura chuckled. "Well, you'll have to excuse me, everyone. I'm going to go put the Millennium Puzzle on display. Please, take your time and enjoy yourselves."

* * *

Yuugi shivered slightly, resisting the urge to tug his school jacket more tightly around him. The temperature in the museum was just fine, if the apparent comfort of those around him was any indication. As if he wasn't feeling silly enough about being unreasonably cold, his chest had also begun to ache with a pervading sense of hollowness, and he felt oddly incomplete.

He absently reached for the fiftieth time to stroke the Puzzle, and for the fiftieth time was surprised when his fingers met with air instead of smooth gold, lightly warmed from resting against his chest. The empty ache in Yuugi's heart throbbed, and he shivered again.

A boisterous laugh startled him and pulled him from his thoughts. Jounouchi was suddenly standing in front of him, a wide smile splitting his face.

"This is awesome, Yuugi! Your treasure's gonna be famous!"

Yuugi forced a smile, chuckling weakly and asking, "You think so?"

"Yeah! Hey, I know! We should take a picture of all of us in front of it!" The blonde said, somehow becoming even more excited. He reached into his pockets as if he could magically procure a camera he didn't have. He frowned, deflating when he had no such luck.

While Jounouchi sulked, Yoshimori came up to the shorter of the teens with an apologetic look. "Sorry, Yuugi. I could see you didn't want to lend it to him." Yuugi shook his head.

"That's alright," he said. He shoved down the little voice in his head telling him that no, it _wasn't_ alright at all, and continued, "It's only for one day."

Yoshimori seemed to sense his discontent and gave him a sympathetic smile. "The expedition we found all of this on wouldn't have happened without Kanekura, so I'm not in a position to complain, but… he can be somewhat self-centered." There was a hint of something in his eyes while he told Yuugi this; a spark of warning. Yuugi shifted uncomfortably.

"O-Oh," he stuttered, not sure how to respond.

"Hey, what's this?"

Both Yuugi and Yoshimori turned at Jounouchi's voice, and saw him looking at one of the displays.

"I can't read what it says." He squinted at the foreign writing as though it would cause the symbols to make sense to him.

"Of course you can't, idiot. It's in ancient Egyptian," Honda muttered, and Yuugi quickly glanced at Jounouchi. Thankfully, the blonde didn't react, so Yuugi knew he hadn't heard.

Yoshimori stepped up to the display case. "This is a scene drawn on papyrus, showing the 'weighing of the heart', or the judgement of the dead." He pointed at one of the figures. "The judge here is the god Osiris, and that's Anubis on the left. He weighs the deeds of the dead man on this scale here," he said, moving his finger to indicate each figure or item. "If the scale falls on the side of the good deeds, they pass on into the afterlife. But if the scale falls on the side of the _bad_ deeds, they are fed to Ammit, 'The Devourer.'" He pointed to a creature with the head of a crocodile, the mane and front half of a lion, and the hindquarters of a hippo.

"Ugh, I can't get that image out of my head!" Jounouchi grimaced. Yuugi couldn't help but agree with him. Getting eaten by a chimeric monster didn't sound at all like a pleasant experience.

Yoshimori was pleased to see that two of the teens were interested, but noticed Honda's gaze starting to wander and decided to move on with the tour.

"And over here, we have the mummy," he said, leading them to another section of the room.

Jounouchi dragged his feet, staying at the back of the group. "Do we _have_ to see the mummy?" He asked. Honda looked back at him with a smirk.

"What's wrong? You _scared,_ Jounouchi?"

The blonde looked about ready to retaliate when they arrived in front of the exhibit. Jounouchi took one look at the shriveled body a few feet from him and promptly freaked out.

"_Ack! Let's go! _If we keep staring we're gonna get _cursed!_" He was already retreating, and Yoshimori and Honda immediately gave chase, Yoshimori to calm him down and Honda to needle him about his superstition.

"There's no such thing as curses," Yoshimori said calmly, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice that he couldn't quite hide.

Knowing the other two could take care of things, Yuugi opted not to follow them. He looked at the mummy, and was surprised when instead of the fascination and faint disgust he'd been expecting to have, there was a feeling of respect he couldn't understand.

Light footsteps, almost inaudible, came from behind him, and the feeling of static he'd felt in the air outside the museum returned. Yuugi turned his head to look. Where there had been no one mere moments ago, there now stood a man. He was perhaps in his mid to late twenties with deeply tanned skin, a white turban, and exotic, ancient-style attire.

_An Egyptian?_ Yuugi guessed. Not many people in Domino had those sort of features, and no one – that he'd seen, at least – dressed the way this man did. And seeing as they were in an Egyptian exhibit, it wasn't really that strange to see someone looking as he did.

The man, who Yuugi was pretty sure was an Egyptian, paid him no mind, simply staring down at the mummy. His kohl-lined eyes, Yuugi noted, were an odd sort of brown, just one shade away from orange. Tears formed in those eyes and began to roll down his cheeks, and Yuugi felt concern.

"Um, excuse me sir, are you okay? Why are you crying?" He asked, and immediately winced. Why had he said that? He didn't know the man, the man didn't know him, and here he was asking personal questions. What was wrong with him?

The Egyptian glanced down at him, and the teen prepared to be reprimanded. So it came as a surprise when he never received that reprimand.

"These tears are not mine…" the man quietly murmured, turning his gaze back to the mummy behind the glass. "This shriveled form… it has withered into a doll of dust, but the spirit of a great king lives on within it. He has been stolen from his tomb and denied his eternal sleep. The lamentation of his soul has become the tears that now flow down my cheeks…"

Yuugi didn't know if the man's words were true, or how that would work if they were. Maybe he meant it figuratively? Whatever the case, Yuugi was still a little concerned about the other. What finally distracted him enough to rid him of his concern was when he spotted a golden object in one of the man's hands. Oddly enough, Yuugi recognized what the item was quickly; it looked remarkably similar to the scales he'd seen on the slab depicting Anubis' and Osiris' judgment of the dead.

The Egyptian suddenly turned to him, all evidence of tears having somehow vanished. His eyes had softened slightly and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. The change was a subtle one, but it was the most expressive Yuugi had seen him. The man reached out with the hand not holding the scales, and Yuugi froze with shock when the other patted him on the head, gently ruffling his hair.

"Your concern is touching. You're a nice little boy." The man said. Yuugi nearly sputtered, blushing furiously.

"Li-!" he managed to force past the embarrassment that had rendered him speechless, but the man was already walking away.

_Little boy?! Why do people _always_ have to assume I'm so young?_ Yuugi thought with an indignant pout. Then he realized what expression he was making and quickly wiped it from his face, blushing in embarrassment once again.

* * *

Though he was surrounded by many shiny artifacts, one glint of gold in particular caught Jounouchi's attention. He smiled and pointed. "Hey, look over there! Yuugi's puzzle is on display!"

Yuugi followed his finger, and as soon as he laid eyes on the artifact, he found himself itching to remove it from the display case and return it to its rightful place around his neck. He was too preoccupied to notice that others were admiring the Puzzle as well.

"Magnificent!" Proclaimed a gray-haired man in a suit, eyes wide behind large bifocals.

Kanekura quickly shushed him, glancing over at Yuugi to make sure the man's exclamation hadn't drawn the boy's attention. "Let's finalize the sale in my office ten minutes before the museum closes," he said.

"Kanekura-san… The Millennium Puzzle is spectacular! I'll pay anything! Just name your price!"

Kanekura smiled and chuckled uneasily. "Yes, well, let's talk about this later, yes?" He ushered the man away from the case as the teens walked toward it.

"It looks really cool in there," Honda said, admiring its shine behind the strong, clear glass. He wasn't big into jewelry or decorations, but he could appreciate the aesthetics of such a clean, well-kept display.

Although he disagreed, Yuugi nodded, trying not to focus on the faint buzzing in his ears and the pull to just reach out and take his treasure. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

_A couple more hours. Just a couple more hours, and I'll have the Puzzle back._

* * *

"That was actually pretty fun," Honda said, standing outside the museum after the tour was over. Jounouchi nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. Well, except for the part with the mummy."

Honda snickered at him. Jounouchi scowled, but before he could do anything else, Sugoroku was speaking.

"Thank you so much for today, Yoshimori-kun. I think I speak for everyone when I say this was a wonderful outing." Three voices of affirmation confirmed that he was right.

"Think nothing of it," Yoshimori said with a smile. "Again, the pleasure was all mine. Take care, now, Mutou-san."

After the man had walked off, Yuugi looked at Sugoroku.

"Jii-chan? Is it alright if I stay after until the museum closes? I want to be here to get the Puzzle back."

Sugoroku paused, then agreed. "That's fine. Just be sure to come home directly after." Yuugi nodded vigorously.

"Okay, Jii-chan. I promise."

* * *

Kanekura couldn't believe his luck! Not only had his investment funded the discovery of the tomb, but now he was minutes away from making quite a pretty penny off of the Millennium Puzzle.

That artifact was going to make him a fortune. First he had to successfully sell it without arousing suspicion. What was the phrase? Better to ask for forgiveness than for permission? Except he wouldn't be doing either of them if everything went smoothly. Thankfully, he the man he'd spoken with earlier was motivated, obsessed, and rich enough that there was virtually no chance he wouldn't go through with the deal. And since the man was paying him in cash, there would be nothing to trace it back to him after it was sold.

Of course, the Mutou kid would probably suspect, and if he really pressed, Kanekura would have to give him some of the money to shut him up, and maybe a picture if he was the sentimental type. But he wouldn't actually be able to prove anything.

The man held the artifact in his palms, marveling at it. It seemed to weigh his hands down, feeling remarkably heavy even for an object made of pure gold. And that foreboding chill it gave off was just as the rumors had described! Something inside him thrilled at the sense of danger it radiated, even as he nearly shuddered from the feeling. If it weren't for the hefty sum he could get for it, he would've been tempted to keep the pendant.

A knock at his office door brought him out of his musings. He quickly hid the Puzzle in his lap under the desk, though he couldn't bring himself to let go of it completely.

_"Kanekura-san?"_ Came a slightly muffled voice. He relaxed his shoulders.

Ah, there was his buyer. He looked at the clock on the wall. 4:50 exactly. Right on schedule.

"Yes, please come in!"

The door creaked open, and Kanekura's smile dropped almost as soon as it did. The potential buyer slumped to the ground just past the doorway, limp. His mouth hung open in shock, and the dilated pupils and whites of his eyes that showed all around his irises revealed utter terror.

Behind him stood a caramel-skinned man in a white robe and turban, staring at him with unnervingly bright burnt-orange eyes. Kanekura almost jumped in his seat.

"Wh-who are you?!"

The man studied him for a moment, as though weighing whether or not it was worth his time to answer. Eventually he said, "My bloodline has guarded the tombs for three thousand years. I am a servant of Anubis."

"Anubis?" Kanekura gawked. He may not have been a history nut like those who found the tombs, but one didn't fund over two dozen of these types of expeditions without picking up a bit of knowledge on the subject.

Anubis. The Egyptian god of death.

"Because of your greed, another tomb in the Valley of the Kings has been defiled. You have trespassed in the territory of the gods. For that you will be placed on trial."

For a second, Kanekura could do nothing but gape. Then one word snapped him out of his confusion: trial.

"I get it; you're from the Egyptian government." He said. "Listen, I don't know what brought you here, but I'm not doing anything illegal. I don't sell antiquities on the black market."

The Egyptian raised an eyebrow. How dense could this man be? He was literally telling him exactly what his crime was. He didn't bother with a response. Instead, he pulled something from the folds of his clothing and set it down on top of Kanekura's desk. The older man blinked in surprise at the set of golden scales in front of him.

"I presume you know the scene of the Final Judgment in the 125th chapter of what you call the Book of the Dead." The Egyptian said, pulling a straight, white feather from his turban. Kanekura nodded his head numbly. The other man went on. "These are the Scales of Truth."

The Final Judgment? The Scales of Truth? What was this man talking about? Those things were just myths! He was just someone sent by the Egyptian government! Wasn't he?

"And now we will begin the trial…"

Kanekura gulped.

"On this side of the scales I place the feather of Ma'at." As stated, the Egyptian placed the white feather on one of the scale's plates. They wobbled slightly before returning to their starting position.

"As you can see, the scales are balanced. I will now ask you a series of questions. If you do not tell the truth, the other side will grow heavy with the weight of your crimes." The Egyptian looked him calmly in the eyes. "If that side of the scales should touch the ground, the penalty of death awaits you. Now, the first question." Under the desk, Kanekura's hands trembled.

"A young girl falls into a deep well. You're the only one to see it happen. However, at your feet lies a golden ring the girl was wearing. What do you do?"

"I save her!" Kanekura blurted. "I save the little girl!"

The scales shifted. The plate with the feather rose a few millimeters, leaving the other to sink by the same amount.

"Wh-what?" He spluttered. "But I'm telling the truth!"

The younger man just looked at him impassively. "Next question."

* * *

Yuugi clenched his shaking hands into fists, taking deep breaths. There was no reason to be so nervous. The Millennium Puzzle was in good hands. It would be safe in its temporary display case until he came to pick it up.

He glanced down at his watch again. 4:58. A sigh of relief. Finally, it was time to get his Puzzle back. He hopped to his feet and jogged for the museum doors.

* * *

Several questions later, the "empty" side of the scales hung dangerously low, and beads of sweat had begun to trickle down Kanekura's face.

"I'm not lying! How is the plate sinking without anything in it? This has to be some kind of trick! What's going on?"

"You wish to know what your fate is?" The Egyptian asked, his expression considering. "Very well. Before the last question, I'll tell you about the penalty. It awaits within your own heart."

Suddenly the armrests of his chair started to bubble, quickly changing shape and wrapping around his wrists. Within seconds, his plush chair had morphed into something hard, rigid and spiked, with bony, claw-tipped fingers trapping his lower arms. The back of the chair writhed and stretched. The man tilted his head back, and was met with the sight of a twisted, reptilian face with wild, rolling eyes and massive jaws that opened to expose a set of dagger-like teeth hovering just over his head. The creature snarled. Kanekura shrieked.

"That is Ammit. It is a monster that has taken up residence in the Room of your Soul." The Egyptian remarked calmly while the other man struggled and whined. "Now for the last question." For the first time, a hint of emotion seeped into his voice, and his eyes narrowed coldly as he asked, "Have you defiled the territory of the gods and sold their treasure to fatten your own pockets?"

The monster growled and opened its jaws wider, its claws digging into his skin and mouth now almost enveloping the man's head. Kanekura slapped his hands uselessly against the armrests and squealed, "S-stop! _Stop_! I'll pay anything! Name a price, just _don't let this thing eat me!_"

The clink of metal on wood signaled Kanekura's side of the scales hitting the top of the desk. He desperately shook his head, sobbing hysterically, and Shadi's back straightened minutely.

"There is no truth in the Room of your Soul. There is only greed." Strings of sticky saliva dribbled from Ammit's jowls as it rumbled hungrily.

"N-no! No! **NO!**"

Ammit's mouth closed fully around Kanekura's head, and the man's cries were cut short as its jaws snapped shut, serrated teeth slicing through soft flesh and bone alike, completely severing his head from his body with a gurgle and a gush of hot blood. The monster faded with his death, leaving his head to roll to the ground and the rest of his corpse to slump gracelessly in the chair. The Millennium Puzzle slipped off his lap and landed on the floor.

Shadi stared blankly for a moment before addressing the corpse. "Though your mortal body has passed away, the Scales have kept your soul from moving on." He paused. "Everyone has a Room of the Soul. My Millennium Key can open the door, but this time I only needed the Scales to pass judgment; your Soul Room was practically oozing with the decaying stench of money and greed. A monster like Ammit will enjoy making its home there. Your soul will be devoured by the illusion born of your own crimes."

Shadi placed the feather back in his turban and retrieved the Scales. Just as he was about to turn and leave, a glint of light caught his eye. He turned towards it curiously.

And nearly stumbled in shock when he felt a tingling in his spine and tug in his chest that indicated his Items being drawn to another of their kind. The gold artifact he was looking at was another Millennium Item.

There were seven Items total, he knew: the Eye, the Ring, the Rod, the Tauk, the Scales, the Key, and the Puzzle. It was obviously not the Eye, nor was it the Ring or the Rod. It was not the Tauk, and he possessed both the Scales and the Key. That left only the Millennium Puzzle. But like its name implied, the Puzzle should have been broken into pieces. Never, in all its three thousand year history, had it been in its completed form. Until now.

And how had it ended up here, in Japan of all places? Did this mean that someone in this country had solved the Puzzle?

He reached for the Item and gingerly lifted it, relieved when he felt no rejection. The Items were notoriously critical about who they allowed to touch them. While the Puzzle did not resonate with him like the Key and Scales did, it tolerated his touch.

He tucked it into one of the many layers in his robes, stepping easily over the other body on the floor. His job was far from over. There was still work to be done.

* * *

This museum was like a maze!

Yuugi looked around himself, utterly lost. During the tour, he had just followed Professor Yoshimori wherever he took them, not paying any particular attention to where that was. Now he was regretting it. He was about to give up on looking for the Puzzle for the moment (though his chest tightened at the thought) and instead focus on finding someone to ask for directions, when he finally recognized the area he was in. The Millennium Puzzle was close! He turned a corner.

There was the glass case. But nothing was inside it. His heart jumped into his throat, and he forced himself not to panic.

_The Puzzle isn't in the case, so Kanekura-san must have it,_ he reasoned. The man was probably just waiting for Yuugi to come and retrieve his treasure. He turned away from the glass case, resigning himself to wandering aimlessly around until he found the museum director. Then he caught the reflection of another person in the glass of another display case and stopped abruptly.

It was that man from before; the Egyptian. He likely wouldn't know where the Millennium Puzzle was, but there was a possibility he knew where to find Kanekura-san. Yuugi all but ran towards him. The man looked up at the sound of footsteps, blinking as he recognized the boy who'd asked after his well-being earlier.

"Um, excuse me… you haven't seen Kanekura-san anywhere have you?" Yuugi asked. The Egyptian looked at him curiously, and he continued, "I-it's just, he promised to return my puzzle. It's shaped like this," he held his hands in front of his chest at about the level the Puzzle would hang, his fingers forming an upside down triangle.

Shadi's eyebrows shot up. This boy not only knew of the Millennium Puzzle, but apparently had the Item in his possession! Had he also been the one to solve it?

Yuugi shifted uncomfortably when the man just stared at him, and took the silence as a negative. "I guess you don't know after all…" He murmured. Shadi, meanwhile, was too caught up in thought to notice that the boy had spoken.

It was said that the one who solved the Millennium Puzzle would gain great power; possibly the same power as Shadi's bloodline, though perhaps another variation of it. No two Millennium Items were the same, after all. If it was true, and this child really had solved the impossible puzzle and gained its powers, then he had to use the Millennium Key to look into the boy's Soul Room.

Normally he would only use it on criminals, but he _needed _to know if this boy had the same power as him and his family.

* * *

**To be continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning(s): blood and death of background characters


	14. Room of the Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning(s): uhhh… Yami Yuugi's general creepiness?
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.
> 
> Chapter start!

** _Previously:_ **

_Shadi's eyebrows shot up. This boy not only knew of the Millennium Puzzle, but __apparently had the Item in his possession_ _! Had he also been the one to solve it?_

_It was said that the one who solved the Millennium Puzzle would gain great power; possibly the same power as Shadi's bloodline. If it was true, and this child really had solved the impossible puzzle and gained its powers, then he had to use the Millennium Key to look into the boy's Soul Room._

* * *

The spirit paced down one of the infinite number of hallways in his prison, a thoughtful expression on his face. Shadows followed him curiously, but he paid them no mind.

That man, Kanekura, had been dealt with, but not by the spirit's hand. No, someone else had punished the museum owner, someone with whom his prison resonated. Not quite like Yuugi did, but then that was a given; _no one _fit as well with the Puzzle, or its occupant, as the small Japanese boy.

Now that he was thinking on it, however, the spirit realized he had felt the same presence once before, just outside the building, before that despicable museum director had taken him from his Light. Now he could put a face to that presence. But just who was this oddly garbed man who dealt justice in a manner so similar to the spirit?

* * *

Yuugi was getting a little worried. The man wasn't responding, and had been seemingly trapped in a daze for almost a full minute.

Suddenly, the Egyptian's gaze refocused and he reached for something tucked into the folds of his clothing. He pulled it out, revealing it to be a golden ankh with a simple, tooth-like shape protruding from one end, reminding the boy of a key. The man moved, and Yuugi barely had the opportunity to blink in surprise before the tip of the key was touching his forehead. At the same time, Shadi's vision faded to black, and he closed his eyes, embracing the sensation reminiscent of falling that overtook him.

* * *

The spirit felt a surge of energy, almost like his own power, spread through his labyrinth. And he recognized it: it was that other presence again, the man who had punished Kanekura. His Shadows, like he himself, tensed in uncertainty, defensive but curious.

It seemed they were about to have a guest. And if there was one thing he had learned about having guests, it was that one's abode should be made presentable before their arrival, whether they were wanted or not.

He turned to his Shadows, whose glowing eyes watched him for instructions. He regarded them for a moment. While they were useful and provided him with a form of companionship when Yuugi was asleep, he was sure they would hardly be considered by others to be good company. He dismissed the Shadows with a wave of his hand. A few of them hissed in displeasure, but after he gave them a rumbling growl of his own, they shied away and dutifully retreated to the chamber's upper corners, deepening the darkness already there.

Satisfied with their obedience, he strode closer to the one smooth door in his labyrinth, beyond which he could sense the stranger approaching.

* * *

When Shadi felt the descent of his spiritual form slow and settle onto what felt like solid ground, he opened his eyes to a darkened hallway, one that was – at first glance – similar to any other hallway he'd seen leading to a Soul Room. The hallway was dark, as was to be expected outside a Soul Room, and there was a door at the end-

-except there wasn't.

He did a double take. Instead of one door at the end, there was a door on either side. There were two rooms in this boy's soul!

The man had visited the rooms of many people's souls in the past. They were each unique, with different sizes, layouts and decorations. But there was one thing that every one of those people had in common: they only had a single Soul Room. Never before had he seen a soul like the one this boy had. A soul with _two_ rooms. Or was it that there were two souls?

And at least from the outside, the rooms couldn't have been more different. On his left was a wall made of light gray stones that were fitted together in a manner that resembled the pieces of the game tetris. The door on that side was open. He peered inside.

The walls were a smooth, inviting yellow that almost pulsed with light. The floor was made up of black and white tiles in the pattern of a checkerboard. The room was rather cluttered, with games and toys scattered across the floor, but it was pure, with no sign of darkness. It was without wicked thought.

The wall to his right was made of a dark, dusty stone, and covered in what appeared to be some sort of spidery veins. The door bore the same veins and dark coloring, and would have blended into the wall were it not for the raised surface of a two foot wide engraving, a carving in a shape that was so very familiar to the man: one specific variation of the Eye of Horus[1]. The same symbol that was emblazoned across nearly every Millennium Item.

He was studying the door, intrigued, when it suddenly began opening on its own.

He cautiously stepped closer. From what little he could see and feel of it, the room was dark, repressing, cold; almost like an ancient tomb.

"Oh? Has someone come to visit me…?" A smooth, silky voice suddenly echoed from within, and all that kept him from jumping were the years spent training himself to suppress such blatant reactions.

A figure stepped out of the gloom, at first seeming to be just another shadow, but as it drew closer Shadi realized that underneath the cover of shifting darkness was a shockingly familiar form.

The figure was a dark mirror of the double-souled child, with a nearly identical face, nearly identical hair, and wearing a nearly identical uniform.

"Who are you?" The being, the spirit creature, whispered, his tone somehow both threatening and curious. When Shadi said nothing and just continued to stare, the creature frowned.

"I don't know what power you used to find this place… but you will tell me why you are here." The spirit commanded, quiet but authoritative. Shadi nodded.

"From your perspective, I am an unwanted guest; answering that question is the least I can do." He said. "I came to discover the secret of the power of your Millennium Puzzle."

The spirit blinked in surprise. "So you know of the existence of the Millennium Puzzle…?"

"Yes, I know." Shadi confirmed. "I also know that it is one of the Millennium Items. The story of the Millennium Items has been passed down from ancient Egypt, three thousand years ago in the Valley of the Kings. They were made by the magicians who served the ancient pharaohs to punish thieves who would defile their masters' tombs and steal their treasures. So it is written in the _Pert Em Hru._"[2]

"So you came here with one of these Millennium Items?" The spirit asked.

"With the power of the Millennium Key, yes. This key opens the door to one's soul. In the room of the soul, one may discover everything about a person: who they are, what they love, what they fear… even what they themselves do not know. I also carry the Millennium Scales. They weigh the sins of a person on trial. These are the two Items that I possess." The spirit looked at the two gold items intently, obviously intrigued. "But even I don't know the power of the Millennium Puzzle. I don't know what power is bestowed upon the person who completes it, because until now, it has never been solved." The fascination left the spirit's expression, making way for his previous caution and aggression.

"And so to find out, you entered my soul…" he said, narrowing his eyes. Shadi nodded.

"If I can see a person's 'Soul Room,' I can see what kind of power they possess. That is what I came to discover." After a brief moment of tense silence, he finished, "And if that power is needed, I will draw it into my bloodline. "

The spirit's eyes narrowed further before his expression smoothed out into indifference. "This power you speak of does rest in my 'Soul Room'." He said. "However, I can't let you see it that easily. First, I must test you." He briefly studied the man. "I believe that the best way to do this is with a game of some sort. The rules of the game are simple: somewhere within this soul is my True Room. If you can find it, then you'll find what you seek."

Shadi was quiet for a moment, then chuckled softly. "There is one more ability I have that I failed to mention to you. When I enter the room of someone's soul, I can…_ redecorate_, and control that person at will. I can even destroy their personality."

The spirit's eyes flashed briefly, though his face remained stoic.

"I accept your terms." Shadi said. "I will find this 'True Room' of your soul."

The spirit smirked in amusement at the mortal's cockiness. "Don't think it will be _that_ easy… this game is more dangerous than you know…"

Torches on the walls flared to life, illuminating their surroundings, and Shadi's breath caught in his throat. Even discounting the fact that the soul had two rooms, this spirit creature's Soul Room was far from ordinary… it was a _labyrinth!_

"Game start!"

The Egyptian was rooted in place, however, and could do nothing but stare at the convoluted space. There were staircases that twisted upside down, corridors that did the same, and what seemed to be countless doors, some large, some small, some packed closely within passageways, some positioned on ceilings or halfway up the walls with no stairs leading up to them at all.

The spirit chuckled. "What seems to be the problem? The game won't begin until you take the first step, you know."

But only one led to the spirit creature's True Room. The man would have to somehow reach and open each door, one by one until he found the right one. He could only be thankful the spirit hadn't given him a time limit.

He turned to the nearest set of stairs and walked up them to the door at the top. He cautiously cracked it open, looking around before opening the door the rest of the way and stepping inside. The sound of what seemed to be clinking chains being swiftly unraveled gave him just enough warning to leap out of the way in time to avoid being crushed when a huge pillar slammed into the ground. He quickly escaped before slamming the door shut behind him. He rested his forehead against it and breathed out shakily. So there were traps as well. Finding this True Room would be even harder than expected.

"What's wrong? Are you ready to give up?" That smooth voice came from behind. He turned to see the spirit creature standing a few feet from him. "I'm sure you've realized by now that the road to my True Room will be a perilous one. At this rate, you might get yourself in trouble." He paused, as though waiting for an answer, but Shadi remained silent, so he continued. "I'll be waiting in the Room. Just call out when you're ready to admit defeat, and I'll transport you to the main chamber. Don't worry, there will be no penalty for forfeiting." The spirit gave a knowing grin, and uttered a final "Good luck…" before his form blurred and melted into the shadows.

Shadi stood still, the silence seeming to close in on him. Then he turned to face the hallway he'd just come from.

After a moment's consideration, he made for the largest conglomeration of doors that could be seen from his current position and began opening them.

This soul was so tightly closed against strangers. It sought to confuse him. But he had to know! He had to know the secret of the Millennium Puzzle! A strange desperation rose within him, and he quickened his pace, opening door after door, encountering and evading traps. Finally he came upon one that felt… slightly different from the others. Was this it?

His breathing slightly heavy even without the exertion of his physical body, he braced himself to dodge whatever trap might be lying in wait within the room, then opened the door. Nothing jumped out at him. The room remained unmoving and apparently harmless. He scanned it just in case.

"Hello."

The waiting spirit sat upon a dusty rock throne in the center of the room, one leg crossed casually over the other. Shadi stepped inside.

Had he finally made it to the True Room? He took another hesitant step into the room. The spirit smirked. Shadi's eyes widened as the stone floor beneath him gave way. It was another trap!

His arm shot out just in time to catch the ledge and save him. He looked down and saw an endless chasm of utter blackness. Somehow he knew that if he fell into that blackness, he would be trapped in the spirit's soul forever.

He looked back up at the sound of tapping shoes. The spirit creature stared down at him, crimson eyes dancing with dark amusement. He swallowed. The spirit's smirk grew wider and he cocked his head to the side.

"Shall I push you in…?" He mused aloud. Shadi's hand began to slip. The spirit noticed, gaze flitting towards the motion, and he bent down. The Egyptian averted his eyes, waiting for the inevitable. There was a soft chuckle, and despite himself, he looked back up. To his surprise, the other had extended a hand, not to dislodge his grip, but in a manner that suggested he wanted Shadi to grab onto it.

"It's alright. This hand isn't a trap…" the spirit murmured, his voice the slightest bit softer and missing its teasing edge.

Shadi eyed the offered hand warily. There was no way of knowing whether or not the spirit was telling the truth. He had already lied about being in his True Room.

…Except, he hadn't. He had just said he'd be waiting in "the Room," which Shadi had taken to mean the True Room. It had been a devious use of words, yes, and meant to be misleading, but not a lie, all the same. And he had never imagined that the spirit would aid him, especially after he had lost, and yet he had. Shadi cautiously took the spirit's hand. The nature of the Soul Room allowed the much smaller entity to lift him up without difficulty.

Once the man's feet were planted on solid ground, he looked the spirit creature in the eye.

"…I am in your debt." He admitted. The spirit was quiet, simply returning the Egyptian's stare.

"I do not approve of this hobby you seem to have of entering others' souls uninvited," he said eventually. "And I believe it is high time you left mine."

"So I have lost this game…" Shadi stated, shoulders the slightest bit slumped at his defeat.

"Yes," the spirit confirmed. "But I have a feeling we will meet again."

"Perhaps you are right." Shadi took one last long look at the strange entity, then dipped his head. "Farewell…" He allowed his consciousness to fade from the Room, the Millennium Key's power slowly retreating back into itself as he rejoined the physical world.

* * *

"Hey," a voice, slightly unclear, echoed in his ears. "A-Are you okay?"

_I entered this strange double-soul to weigh it. To test it._ Shadi thought. _But I was the one to be tested._

"Are you alright?" The voice came again, and this time it managed to catch Shadi's attention. It was the boy. "You don't look so good, and you just closed your eyes and stopped moving!"

Ah, so his time in the spirit's labyrinth may not have been anywhere near as long as it had felt, but it was definitely enough to cause this boy concern.

"Yes… I'm alright…" he said with a faint smile. "Oh, I almost forgot," he took out the Millennium Puzzle. "If I'm not mistaken, I believe this is yours."

The boy's face immediately brightened. "The Millennium Puzzle!" He shouted with joy. "So _you_ had it! I couldn't find it, and I was getting really worried. Thank you so much!"

Shadi shook his head.

"There is no need to thank me. I am already in your debt."

"What do you mean?" Asked Yuugi, brow furrowed. "I haven't done anything…"

Ah. While the child had been very pleasant and kind towards him, Shadi realized that he was right; it was the spirit that had been the one to release him safely, not the boy.

"Yes, I suppose it was the _other_ you." He said.

"The… other me?" Yuugi asked, puzzled. "I don't understand; _I'm_ me. How could there be another me?"

This boy… he hadn't become aware of the spirit creature's existence yet?

An inexperienced user was never a good thing when it came to the Millennium Items, and while the spirit creature seemed to be the one who wielded the Puzzle, this child was the spirit's vessel. There was only so much control that could be had over the Item while they acted separately, and power without control was a dangerous thing.

"What is your name, boy?" He asked.

"I'm Yuugi," Yuugi replied, smiling.

"Yuugi." Shadi repeated softly, then nodded. "There is something you must do: you must discover the other within you."

Yuugi frowned slightly. What was this man talking about? Before he could think to ask, the man continued, "You must also discover the true power of the Millennium Puzzle. That is the destiny of the one who solves it. That is their duty."

_The other within me?_ Yuugi wondered to himself. _The true power of the Millennium Puzzle?_

After a short pause, the man stated, "I am Shadi. This is the first time I've ever divulged my name to a stranger." He turned and walked off while Yuugi stared after him, lips parted in confusion. Shadi's mind was already elsewhere, however. There was one more person he needed to place on trial. One more man who had defiled the territory of the gods, the Valley of the Kings.

* * *

**To be continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1]: As far as I've been able to find, the "Eye of Horus" apparently goes by many other names as well, so I hope I didn't offend anyone by using a different name from what they are used to.
> 
> [2]: The "Pert Em Hru" that Shadi mentions is also known as "The Book of the Dead" or "The Book of Coming Forth by Day."


	15. A Shift in Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thanks to all my readers! And another big thanks to anyone who has followed, favorited, and/or reviewed this story. You guys are honestly wonderful, and help so much with my inspiration! ^-^
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS are listed at the end of the chapter.
> 
> Chapter start!

It was Tuesday, and school was out again; parents and guardians of students enrolled at Domino High had been informed that their charges weren't required to attend for the next few days.

One of the students, a rather strange boy a year older than Yuugi, had suddenly gone missing, and he had overheard chatter that there might have been a link between this teen's disappearance and Ushio's murder. Of course, there hadn't been any police reports released stating that this was plausible, but Yuugi suspected that the lack of response might have been to try to keep people calm. Everyone knew how bad Ushio's case had been, and any indication from official sources that the other student might have ended up like the older teen would cause a panic.

Yuugi sat cross-legged on the floor of his bedroom, too lost in his head to think of getting up and using either his bed or his desk chair to sit; even if the position had been uncomfortable, he wouldn't have noticed.

When he wasn't wondering about the rumors surrounding the missing student, he was thinking about what had happened just before he'd left the museum.

That man, Shadi. He had said something about discovering "the other" inside of Yuugi, and the "true power of the Millennium Puzzle." The teen absently stroked the golden pendant and closed his eyes.

_I wonder what he meant…_

Inside the Puzzle, the spirit was lost in his own musings.

He found himself smirking occasionally; the wide variety of theories that had come up in the gossip he'd overheard was somewhat amusing. He was also rather surprised that quite a few believed there to be a link between Ushio's punishment and the "disappearance" of the most recent student, Kokurano. Almost none of the other theories were correct, of course.

The Yakuza, for example, were in no way involved in either "case." Nor were aliens of any kind. The spirit snickered. A few of his Shadows, still lethargic from their latest feast, blinked lazily at the noise.

While the excess energy that naturally wafted off of Yuugi's brilliant soul was usually enough to sustain him and his Shadows, they had punished many people recently, and had fed on very few of them. His Shadows had been hungry, and he saw little reason to deny them a meal.

He had played a game, and won.

It had surprised his Shadows just as much as himself when they had managed to consume not just his soul, but his body as well. If anyone was able to find even a trace of that disgusting, lecherous student after such a feeding, the spirit would be supremely impressed.

He had quickly been able to dismiss this strange new facet to the Shadows' feeding; it had lent his Shadows even more strength than exclusively consuming souls, and so far seemed to have had no negative effects, so there was no need to dwell on it.

A thought that _did_ still frequent his mind to a seemingly endless degree was his interaction with that white-robed man at the museum. Because he had felt the twinge of weakness and hunger when the stranger, Shadi, had played his game, and yet he had refrained. Why had he done that? No matter how he pondered it, he couldn't understand what had caused his decision.

Why had he saved the man, when he could just as easily have allowed his Shadows a meal?

* * *

Yuugi eventually left his room for the kitchen. He may have been rather out of it, but hunger was always a good motivator, and had ultimately made the decision for him. He opened the refrigerator, his stomach remembering last night's leftovers even as his mind remained on other topics.

Sugoroku's voice coming from the living room was what finally broke him from his reverie.

"This… this is terrible…"

Alerted by his grandfather's words, Yuugi closed the fridge and looked over at him. The man's gaze was fixed on the TV, and Yuugi made his way over to the sofa to watch with him.

_"-owner of Domino Museum, as well as another man, whose family has requested his name not be released, were found dead in Kanekura's office early this morning. The cause of death for the second man was apparently a heart attack, and he was otherwise unscathed. Kanekura, however, was beheaded. According to the coroner, this appears to have been done by some sort of animal, though the species has not yet been identified, and no other traces were found of someone or something else having recently entered the office. As of now, who or what was responsible remains a mystery. In other news, the search continues for missing high school student Kokurano-"_

Sugoroku shut off the television, and both he and Yuugi sat in shock.

"Kanekura-san is… dead?" Yuugi murmured to himself. Sugoroku nodded silently. Then his eyes widened, and he quickly stood from the couch.

"Jii-chan?" Yuugi asked. "What are you doing? What's going on?"

The old man paused. "Yoshimori-kun worked with Kanekura. They were colleagues. I can only imagine what he's feeling right now. I'm going to go visit his lab at the University." He gave Yuugi a strained smile. "See if I can't cheer him up a bit."

Yuugi had only just met Yoshimori the other day, but even so, he felt bad for his grandpa's friend. "Can I come too?" He asked.

"Oh! Of course you can," Sugoroku said, heading towards the genkan to slip on his shoes. "I'm sure he would appreciate that."

Such was his distraction that he didn't even think to scold Yuugi for not having put his own shoes away previously.

* * *

Shadi sat with his eyes closed, taking deep, slow breaths. The Egyptian would have gladly moved on to dealing punishment to the next trespasser already, but he knew that doing so now would not be the best approach. He had to be in a more level, balanced state of mind before going after the man, and right now, his mind still swirled with memories and conflicting emotions.

When he had left the child, his thoughts on the strange entity that resided within the boy's mind had been… not exactly friendly, and not wholly positive, but not really negative, either. The spirit had just saved his life, after all.

He had challenged Shadi (an understandable action, considering Shadi's entrance into his domain) and won. What he had done after that was what was now causing him concern. The spirit creature had left him dangling over an abyss that could swallow him whole, had toyed with him, and then, for no clear reason, had decided to release him.

Shadi had been relieved to begin with. Looking back on their encounter in its entirety, though, he could see the instability underlying the spirit's behavior. And he had done everything while wielding the unknown power of the Millennium Puzzle. That sort of power in the hands of a creature with an unstable mind was dangerous, both to the world at large and to the youth he had taken as some sort of host.

In his mind's eye, Shadi saw those large, violet eyes and the light and innocence all but radiating from them. Heard the soft, gentle voice that had carried such concern for a complete stranger.

The dark being had no place residing alongside such a pure soul, and Shadi had no doubt that the continued presence of the parasitic entity would eventually _ruin_ the boy, would suck the light out of him and leave him as nothing but a husk.

Whatever the power of the Millennium Puzzle was, it did not belong in the hands of a dangerous lunatic, human or otherwise. And so Shadi would take it. He would defeat the spirit creature, and save the child and all the other innocents who would inevitably come to harm were the entity allowed to continue using the Millennium Puzzle's power.

Ideas and strategies ran through the man's mind. If he wished to take out the powerful spirit, he would have to be well prepared. He needed a plan before confronting him again; he wouldn't make the same mistake he'd made the first time by going in blind.

…Though he was not yet ready to cast judgement on the second trespasser, the man might still be of worth to Shadi. Perhaps he could use him to draw out the spirit creature. The Millennium Key thrummed softly, assuring him that it was ready to use its power. The servant of Anubis opened his eyes and stood fluidly. He had a certain professor to visit.

* * *

"Hey, Yuugi!"

Yuugi looked up from the sidewalk in surprise to see his friends heading toward him.

"Honda-kun! Jounouchi-kun!" He called, waving. They reached him quickly, and he didn't have time to ask anything before the two were talking.

"We just saw the news about Kanekura," said Jounouchi.

Honda nodded. "It's sad and… kinda creepy that someone we just met is dead."

"We wanted to come and check on you, and then maybe go see Yoshimori." Jounouchi concluded.

"I bet he knows more of the details on the case than we do." Honda said with a smile. Jounouchi raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him as Yuugi and Sugoroku frowned.

"Uh, plus we wanted to make sure the guy's doing okay." The brunette added sheepishly, coughing.

No one else said anything for a moment.

"Jii-chan and I were going to see him, too!" Yuugi blurted, hoping to break the awkward silence, and Sugoroku smiled lightly.

"Well then, we can all go together." The man said. Nods and noises of affirmation went around, and Yuugi sighed softly. Thankfully the short-lived tension that had sprung up between the group seemed to have been sorted out.

Now if only the sense of foreboding that had taken up residence in his gut would go away as well.

* * *

Yoshimori sat in his study at the University, head bowed as he rubbed his temples. He looked up slightly and caught sight of his exhausted appearance reflected in his office window. In the background, sound from a small television set played the same news report for the third time that day. He stood up and switched it off. The silence that followed was almost as bad. He sank back into his seat and placed his head in his hands.

Although they had worked together for years, he and Kanekura hadn't been close in any sense of the word. The museum director had always had a much looser sense of right and wrong, and Yoshimori found that he hadn't had the stomach for it. So he'd remained distant. While Yoshimori hadn't been able to actually tell anyone about his suspicions – both due to his own hesitancy and Kanekura's higher position – he was almost certain that the man was illegally selling some of the items that had been found on the digs he funded. There had been too many "misplaced" artifacts over the years to write it off as an accident.

So no, they hadn't been close. But to think that the man had been killed, and in such a violent manner…

He released a long, weary sigh, rubbing at his tired eyes. He lifted his head again, jerking and spinning around in his seat when the reflection he saw in the window was no longer just his own. A man, deeply tanned and wearing white clothing and a turban, was standing directly behind him.

"Wh-who are you?" He stammered, shrinking into his chair. "How did you get in here?" Yoshimori had locked his office door earlier, paranoia driving his actions, but now it seemed he had been right to feel such caution. The intruder didn't answer, just took a golden object from the folds of his clothing and touched it to Yoshimori's forehead. The archaeologist gasped, eyes rolling back, and the world abruptly faded into nothing.

* * *

"-gotta be a curse!" Jounouchi was saying. "I told you so, Honda!"

Honda just huffed and rolled his eyes. Yuugi blinked, trying to remember the last few minutes, but it was a blur, and all he could focus on was the feeling of foreboding that was growing inside him with each step he took.

"Um… Honda-kun? Jounouchi-kun?" He finally managed to choke out. Said teenagers looked at him curiously. "I just… I have this feeling. I think it would be better if you didn't go."

Everyone stopped. Honda's eyes widened in understanding.

"You're worried that Jounouchi's afraid of that 'curse,' aren't you?"

Jounouchi gave Yuugi a lopsided grin. "Hey, it's alright, man! I was just joking around. I'm not _really_ scared. Yoshimori showed us around the museum, and he seems like a good guy. We're concerned about him, that's all. Just like you."

"O-oh, okay." Yuugi said, smiling weakly. They continued walking then, the taller boys apparently satisfied with their friend's response.

It wasn't much later that Domino University came into view, just as the sun was going down, and Yuugi couldn't help the shudder that rippled down his spine at the sight of the building.

* * *

They soon arrived outside the door to the archaeologist's office on the fourth floor of the University. Yuugi hung at the tail of the group, an uncomfortable tingle pricking the back of his neck.

"Yoshimori-kun?" Sugoroku called, knocking on the door. "It's Sugoroku. I brought my grandson and his friends, as well. May we come in?"

"Yes…" Came a quiet reply. "Come in, please…"

Sugoroku did so, opening the door to let them through. Yuugi peered around his friends and caught sight of the man they'd come to see. He was sitting at his desk, hunched over in his seat with his head bowed. In front of Yuugi, Jounouchi tensed. Something wasn't right. He could feel it. Honda, ever attuned to his long time friend's nonverbal cues, stiffened as well.

Yoshimori slowly stood from his chair and turned his body halfway towards the group, head rolling lazily around to look at them. Yuugi almost took a step back. Rather than the deep brown coloration he remembered, Yoshimori's eyes were a strangely familiar burnt orange that were concurrently glazed over and piercingly intense.

"Thank you for coming," the words left his lips in a murmur. "Come in, come in, come in…" The professor began to shuffle around the room, before stopping with his face to a corner. "I've been waiting for you."

"I-I uh," Jounouchi started awkwardly, then cleared his throat, "I brought something for you." He carefully reached for his pocket and took a cautious step forward. "Y'know, as thanks for showing us around the museum."

"Oi! Ixnay on the useum-may, man!" Honda growled under his breath, and Jounouchi slapped a hand over his mouth in mortification.

"Oh yes, the museum," Yoshimori muttered. He said nothing more for a moment. A muscle in his neck twitched. "Somebody killed him…" Thin shoulders shook minutely, and Yuugi thought for a second that he was crying. Then the man turned his head back towards them, and his (bizarre, _unnatural_) eyes were glittering with mirth instead of tears. "Somebody killed Kanekura-san…" He suddenly erupted into giggles, and Jounouchi reflexively stepped back into place in front of Yuugi.

"Yoshimori-kun, is something wrong?" Sugoroku asked, his brow furrowed.

"No… no… There is nothing wrong." A wide grin stretched the archaeologist's face. "I was just waiting… waiting for _him_…"

He giggled again, then lunged towards the group, hands grasping the first thing they met: Jounouchi's neck.

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi screamed, feet frozen while Honda and Sugoroku rushed to stop the man.

"I want to see him!" Yoshimori hissed, slamming the blonde up against a wall. "I want to see the other within Yuugi!"

Honda pulled with everything he had, but somehow the thin man was practically unaffected. Confusion and terror and a strange echo of outrage rattled around inside of Yuugi's mind. Why was Yoshimori attacking Jounouchi? This was nothing like the amicable man they'd met at the museum. It was like he was possessed!

Jounouchi choked, eyes bulging and mouth gaping as his fingers scrabbled against the ones wrapped around his throat like a vice. Yuugi looked around frantically for something to pry the man off of his friend, but Honda beat him to it, grabbing a heavy globe from the desk. He charged forward and smashed the globe into Yoshimori's face.

A tooth went flying from the force, and the man went down hard. Jounouchi fell as well, gasping and coughing. Yuugi and Sugoroku hurried to the blonde's side. Yuugi laid a hand on his friend's back.

"Are you okay, Jounouchi-kun?"

"Y…yeah…" Jounouchi croaked, rubbing his throat and sucking in lungfuls of precious air. "Yeah, I think so…" He started pushing himself up with shaky arms, and both Yuugi and Sugoroku helped him to his feet. Jounouchi took a moment to steady himself, then glanced at Yoshimori. "Is he out?"

"Looks like it," said Honda, who had been watching the professor cautiously while the others were preoccupied. He breathed a deep sigh when the man remained still and finally allowed himself to focus fully on Jounouchi.

In the same moment, Yoshimori's eyes opened and he stumbled to his feet with a snarl.

"Yoshimori-kun!" Sugoroku shouted, raising his hands. "It's me, Sugoroku! Do you remember me? I'm your friend!"

Crazed eyes held no recognition, and Jounouchi tugged Sugoroku back when the professor swiped at the old man.

Yoshimori lunged again, this time for Yuugi, but Honda's fist shot out before he could touch the boy, landing a devastating punch right on his mouth. The man barely faltered, only howled angrily, baring a bloodied mouth now dominated by chipped and missing teeth.

"Split up!" Honda yelled, and no one felt much like disagreeing. The shout drew Yoshimori's attention. The man looked at Honda's bloody fist and howled once again. "Y-yeah, that's right!" Honda replied. "I'm the one that hit you! Come and get me!" He dashed out of the room and down the hall, the Professor not far behind him.

* * *

Through it all, Shadi watched from the room's shadows, his presence cloaked in darkness.

It would seem that the Professor was not enough. Yuugi, and therefore the spirit creature, did not truly know the archaeologist. Shadi would have to use one that they did know in order to draw his opponent out.

The spirit creature was partial towards the boy and the boy's loved ones. Shadi eyed the blonde, who was still weak from being nearly strangled. And who was unknowingly coming closer to the man's hiding spot. Just as he had done not a half hour earlier with the Professor, the servant of Anubis allowed himself to become visible to the teenager, who barely had time to jerk backwards before the Millennium Key forced down his consciousness and paved the way for Shadi to enter his Soul Room.

* * *

Yuugi panicked as Honda led Yoshimori away, Sugoroku chasing after them. He turned to look to Jounouchi for assistance in going to help, then gasped and stumbled back at the unexpected presence of the Egyptian whose words had haunted his thoughts for the past several days.

"Shadi-san?" Yuugi said haltingly. "What, what are you doing here?"

Shadi opted not to answer him, instead replying, "I must apologize for my puppet's rudeness."

"Puppet…?" Yuugi asked. A horrified understanding began to dawn on him. "You mean, the Professor… you _made_ him attack us?" He breathed.

"I did." Said Shadi.

"Why…?" The boy whispered. "Shadi-san, why are you doing this?"

The man's eyes softened slightly with sympathy. "I know that my actions may seem unfair, even cruel, but I assure you I am only doing what is best for all involved."

"How can any of this be what's best?" Yuugi asked, his eyes searching Shadi's and trying desperately to understand.

So the boy still did not know of the spirit creature. Shadi was not overly surprised. It wasn't uncommon for a Millennium Item to pick up on the intents of its wielder, and to act according to those intents.

The spirit creature was the wielder of the Millennium Puzzle, and he obviously didn't want his host to interrupt him while he was busy using the body or to make things more difficult by trying to remove him, so the Puzzle kept the boy from worrying too much. From what Shadi had gathered in the little time he had spent in the entity's presence, the spirit also seemed to have a peculiar… fondness? obsession? where the boy was concerned, and that was reflected in the way the teenager handled the Puzzle with an amount of tenderness that bordered on obsessive.

Most wielders weren't aware of the effect they had on their Items – or of their Items' effects on themselves. That appeared to be the case here, both for the boy and for the spirit.

The wielder gave the Item a semblance of… not quite consciousness, at least not in the sense that the Item could think – it couldn't. But it could have vague desires and preferences, and in effect "lived" vicariously through the wielder's consciousness.

In a way, the spirit himself was a host, just like anyone else who possessed an Item.

Such musings were not relevant now, though.

"The other inside you." The man stated simply. "He is dangerous, and mad. I must remove him, for your safety and the safety of all others. To do that, he must show himself before me so that I may challenge him."

"What 'other?'" Yuugi cried, tears of stress and frustration threatening to fall. "I don't understand! All you're doing is hurting me and my friends! The Professor… no… _you_ could have k-_killed_ Jounouchi-kun!" His vision, already blurred from his tears, fuzzed violently with static, and he grasped his head, wobbling dizzily. Shadi watched, sharp eyes zeroing in on the boy's actions. Was this a sign that the spirit was finally going to show himself?

The stumbling teen quieted, eyelids fluttering closed, and he stilled. Then a pair of familiar red eyes snapped open. They quickly found Shadi's own and narrowed into slits of burning vitriol.

"_You_."

"Indeed." Shadi said, looking into those fiery depths. "I see you have finally shown yourself, spirit creature."

The spirit snarled, Shadows writhing around his form. Shadi made no outward indication of unease, further infuriating him.

"I showed you mercy, and you _spat_ on my clemency." He hissed.

"I believed myself to be in your debt. I have since realized that I owe you nothing." Said Shadi. "I did not acknowledge it at the time, but your sudden leniency bespoke of instability. You are a danger to all around you. The power of the Millennium Puzzle cannot be allowed to continue being used by one with an unstable mind. I challenge you to a Shadow Game."

"A game?" The spirit sneered. "No. We already played a game. You have tried my patience long enough. I will finish you now!" Shadi only sighed.

"I had suspected you might deny me a chance at counteraction. That is why I devised a means by which I could ensure your cooperation." He stepped to the side, revealing a cloudy-eyed Jounouchi standing silently, mouth slack and staring into the middle distance.

The Shadows shrieked furiously, and the spirit nearly reeled back. The teenager felt… _empty_. Like his body was there, but his mind was not.

"_What have you done to him!"_ The spirit roared.

"I redesigned the room of his soul." Shadi replied calmly. "This boy is now a puppet who cannot speak or think. He cannot move without my first willing him to do so." He tilted his head to glance at the blonde. "This is why you will not try to harm me without first defeating me. Because I control this boy that your host so cares for. If I ordered him to die…" he looked directly at the entity and narrowed his eyes, "…he would die!"

The spirit growled, dark hatred and rage smoldering in his veins.

"What are your terms?" He spat out.

"I will reveal them after I have finished making preparations. Fortunately, all the items I need are here in this office, so it should not take me long."

The spirit's fists clenched so hard they shook, but knew he could do nothing to retaliate at the moment. "I accept your challenge!" He snapped bitterly.

"Very well." Shadi nodded, then gestured to a clock on the wall. "Come to me when the clock strikes eight. I will be waiting for you on the roof."

The spirit turned to look at the clock, which read 7:51. When he looked back, the man was gone. So was Jounouchi. He snarled again, pacing the empty study while his Shadows screeched and helpless anger seeped down into him until the very marrow of his bones demanded retribution.

* * *

**To be continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning(s): a bit of blood + references to past blood and gore


End file.
